About Herbs

Stevia rebaudiana is an herb native to Brazil and Paraguay. The raw leaves as well as the purified extracts, such as stevioside and its aglycone steviol, have been used as sweeteners in Asian and South American countries. Stevia extract is said to be 2-300 times sweeter than table sugar ⁽¹⁾. In Japan it has been used to sweeten beverages and seafoods. Although this product has not been approved by the FDA as food additive, the leaves have been consumed as a dietary supplement and promoted as a non-caloric sweetener for diabetics ⁽²⁾. Some studies have shown that stevia may lower blood pressure ⁽³⁾. In a placebo-controlled trial in patients with hypertension, stevioside usage was reported to improve quality of life when compared to placebo ⁽⁴⁾. Animal studies and in vitro studies suggest that stevia may have antitumor ⁽⁵⁾ and anti-inflammatory properties ⁽⁶⁾. Stevia may also have additive effects with other antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications. Gastrointestinal and neurological side effects as well as mutagenic activity have been reported ^{(3) (4) (7)}.

The FDA has not approved stevia as a sweetener or a food additive. Available toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety as a food additive or to affirm its status as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) ⁽⁸⁾. Usage in large quantities is discouraged. There have been some studies showing that steviol at high dosages may possess weak mutagenic activity ⁽⁷⁾.