Tips to grow and use Stevia?

[Trellum]

I was talking about the possibility of growing our own Stevia plants with my fiance the other day, he said we'd not have any issue finding Stevia plants over there. If I buy the plant already in a pot, is there something I should consider? Also, how is Stevia propagated? How do I know it's ready to be ''harvested'' or ''used? How is this natural Stevia supposed to be used to sweeten things like, for example drinks?

 

[Corzhens]

My niece wants to grow stevia beause she is diabetic. She has a small paper with the instructions of how to care for stevia in pots. However, her father is a doctor who is against stevia. He said that it is not really good for the health because it has toxins. I don't really know what he meant. But definitely, he had warned my niece about stevia.

 

[Bootsy]

I don't wish to argue with someone in the medical profession as they may have more information than I do.

I have done quite a lot of research over the years and not found any validated information on toxins in it. A blanket comment such as 'it has toxins in it' would not be acceptable to scientific analysis.

There was some research done on rebaudiosides (by a sweetener company who shall remain nameless) that has since been discounted as it was not done to the rigorous standards that should have been applied.

They tested it in a much higher concentration than recommended on just one breed of rat that is known to be particularly susceptible to reproductive problems. These results caused it to be banned in the European Community for some years until it was pointed out that the testing was flawed (some say it was done deliberately). Subsequent tests showed that there was no danger and the ban was repealed.

In extremely high doses there is a possibility that it may have some toxic effects but the genotoxicity is not considered a factor nowadays.

This doesn't mean to say that you can go out and buy any 'Stevia' product! Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers mix the stevia with other forms of sweetening - some which I wouldn't dream of taking.

To grow your own and use it without problems you can just use the leaves, either steeped in hot water or crushed and made into a paste. Some people say they can have a bitter aftertaste.

I use Stevia as it seems to be a much better alternative than sugar or artificial sweeteners. Honey is better to use but not if you wish to keep your weight down.

 

[Trellum]

@Bootsy Wow, thanks a lot for taking the time to clear that out. I once read the toxicity is dose based You know, just like too much water can be toxic for us, I think it's the same with Stevia, I am guessing that from what you typed. It is good to know, because I do plan to grow some Stevia.

Thanks a lot for the explanation Do you happen to know how Stevia can be propagated? I will just seep the leaves in water, I guess I need to try this to see if this indeed works with me.

 

[Trellum]

My niece wants to grow stevia beause she is diabetic. She has a small paper with the instructions of how to care for stevia in pots. However, her father is a doctor who is against stevia. He said that it is not really good for the health because it has toxins. I don't really know what he meant. But definitely, he had warned my niece about stevia.

Uhm, I wonder why he said that as well! After bootsy post I feel a bit more safe giving Stevia a try, but I guess I should check the status of Stevia, see how is faring in the EU regulations. Just to make 100% safe, because I believe the European union is really careful about that kind of things.

 

[Bootsy]

Stevia is now allowed in the EU. Most of the Stevia sweeteners you can buy in the EU are made by sugar/sweetener companies and have some proportion of artificial sweeteners in them.

The nearest to unadulterated Stevia is one that I buy from the U.S. and that has vegetable glycerine in it. Glycerin makes it easier to use in liquid form and is also a slight sweetener in itself.

You can grow Stevia from seed.

 

[KimmyMarkks]

Stevia is now allowed in the EU. Most of the Stevia sweeteners you can buy in the EU are made by sugar/sweetener companies and have some proportion of artificial sweeteners in them.

The nearest to unadulterated Stevia is one that I buy from the U.S. and that has vegetable glycerine in it. Glycerin makes it easier to use in liquid form and is also a slight sweetener in itself.

You can grow Stevia from seed.

I had no idea Stevia was illegal in the UK. I wonder why that is? I know my mom loves using Stevia. It can get expensive too. How do you turn the plant into the sugar form?

 

[majorcatfish]

grow it a couple years ago as one of the garden experiments, picked a few leaf and chewed not bad good sweetness to it, but the after taste was nasty and for cooking the dw made a loaf of sweet bread with it right into the trash can...

 

[claudine]

I wouldn't want to use stevia in my cooking, because I've heard it's not as healthy as most people think. However, I'd love to start growing it. Bringing a new plant to my apartment always makes me happy

 

[Bootsy]

I wouldn't want to use stevia in my cooking, because I've heard it's not as healthy as most people think.

That theory came about from when the faulty tests were made on it.

Most edible items can be deleterious to health if taken in too high a concentration - even water or vitamin A. There's an apochryphal story that in 1974 a man died from drinking too much carrot juice!

I had no idea Stevia was illegal in the UK. I wonder why that is?

I explained that in the first part of the post that you quoted.

The amount of Stevia consumed in normal use is unlikely to be of any harm at all, even if there was any proof of its toxicity (which there isn't).

 

[claudine]

That theory came about from when the faulty tests were made on it.

Most edible items can be deleterious to health if taken in too high a concentration - even water or vitamin A. There's an apochryphal story that in 1974 a man died from drinking too much carrot juice!

Drinking too much water can also kill you Everything in excess is bad, I know. I just don't like experimenting. Regular sugar isn't the healthiest thing in this world, but I've been eating it since I was a kid and it has never harmed me, so I don't feel tempted to try stevia.

 

[Bootsy]

I've been using Stevia for over 40 years. The only bad effect it seems to have had on me is to make my hair go grey and my skin a little wrinkled.

 

[claudine]

Haha
I have a few questions. What stevia tastes like? Does it taste like sugar or maybe it's different? Can you use it to sweeten tea?

 

[Bootsy]

The Stevia product we use tastes sweet like sugar and I use it in my tea and porridge (we're British, don't you know ) and in anything that requires being sweet.

We also use it in cakes and sweet desserts so that diabetics can eat them.

Some Stevia products seem to have a slight bitter after taste but we don't use notice it in the one that we use.

 

[claudine]

Thank you for answering my questions Bootsy I must say it sounds really good. To be honest, I always thought that stevia isn't as sweet as sugar.