Stevia is a small herbaceous shrub, about 20 inches tall, native to Paraguay and Argentina. The leaf is 25 to 30 times sweeter than sugar cane. Used for generations by native Guarani Indians as a sweetener for food and drink, it was not discovered by civilized man until 1899. It is currently used as a sweetening agent in countries as China, Korea, Japan, and others. As a visitor to China years ago, I noted a vending machine containing cans of soda, which stated on the label, sweetened with Stevia. I was so intrigued with this information that I bought a can and had it in my possession for many years until, in a move, my prize possession got lost. In 1991, the FDA banned the importation and use of Stevia in the U.S. based on the lack of evidence proving its safety. This ban was in spite of hundreds of years of use by people in many countries with no reports of toxicity. In 1995, the ban was lifted, allowing it to be sold as a dietary supplement.
The WHOLE LEAF STEVIA is one of the most effective health-restoring plants known. Some of the medicinal uses are:
— Helpful for hypoglycemia and diabetes because it nourishes the pancreas
— Aids digestion and improves gastrointestinal function
— Mild strengthening of heart and cardiovascular system
— Effective on skin blemishes, acne, seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema
— Placed in cuts and wounds, more rapid healing without scarring
— By antimicrobial action lowers incidence of dental caries
In the 1970’s the Japanese developed a method of refining the sweet glycosides out of the Stevia leaf, making a white crystalline powder 300 times sweeter than cane sugar. This product can be purchased in health-food stores and in some grocery stores. Used to sweeten foods and beverages, it does not have the medicinal properties of the whole Stevia.
If interested in the whole-leaf drops, I can order for you. Since postage is high on only one small bottle, it pays to buy in quantity. It does not have the medicinal properties of the whole Stevia.
