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Dr. T. Ombrello - UCC Biology Department
Common names:
Stevia, Kaa he-he (Sweet Herb), Honey Yerba, Yerba Dulce, Sweet Leaf
Scientific name: Stevia rebaudiana
Explanation of scientific name:
Stevia -Named for Dr. Peter James Esteve, a Spanish botanist
who died in 1566.
rebaudiana - Named for Dr. Rebaudi, a Paraguayan chemist who was the
first person to extract the compound that makes the plant’s leaves
and stems so sweet.
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| Stevia foliage. | Stevia flowers. |
Most Americans have never heard of Stevia rebaudiana. The plant is the source of stevioside, a sweet, crystalline glycoside that is about 300 times sweeter than table sugar (sucrose) but without any calories. Stevioside (commonly called simply stevia) is controversial. In our country the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved its use as a food additive, citing concerns about the safety of the sweetener for human use. It is considered an “unsafe food additive” under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Prior to 1991, however, Celestial Seasonings offered an herbal tea with stevia as an ingredient. Since 1995 the FDA has allowed stevia to be sold as a “dietary supplement.” Dietary supplements are not as rigorously regulated, and are controlled by the Health and Education Act. So, you will not find stevia in typical supermarket food products, but it can be purchased in health food stores and other outlets. Stevia is marketed as dried leaves, liquid concentrates, powders, and pills.
Stevia rebaudiana is an herbaceous annual plant, native to Paraguay, South America. It belongs to the large Sunflower family of plants (Asteraceae) and counts as its close relatives daisies and chrysanthemums. Stevia’s white flowers, however, are small and not particularly showy. There are 150 species of Stevia. All are native to South and North America, but only Stevia rebaudiana contains appreciable amounts of stevioside.
As early as the 16th century Spanish explorers noted that the indigenous peoples of Paraguay were utilizing the plant to sweeten drinks and medicines. But it was not until the 19th century that the plant was seriously investigated by scientists. Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni is credited with bringing it to the attention of the outside world during his studies of herbs used as sweeteners by native peoples. In 1931 stevioside was identified by French chemists, and its use expanded. In the 1950’s Japan began growing the plant as a crop. Today it is the world’s largest user of stevia, with stevioside found in soft drinks (including Diet Coke), chewing gum, candy, ice cream, sweet pickles, soy sauce, bread, seafood, and prepared vegetables. Additional countries where stevioside is used as a no calorie sweetener include China, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Columbia, Thailand, Germany, and Malaysia.
Sugar substitutes, especially those with no calories, have long been of interest to people. Products such as aspartame (“Equal”) and saccharin (“Sweet-n-Low”) are produced in great quantities around the world, and especially in the United States. Some producers probably see stevia, a non patentable natural product, as potential competition to the lucrative artificial sweeteners now available. Other people probably see it as an alternative sweetener that deserves wider usage. Only time will tell if we see stevia in food products in the United States.
It is not illegal to grow Stevia rebaudiana in the United States. It can be raised on a sunny windowsill, requiring no more care than a typical houseplant. It is primarily propagated from leafy cuttings and generally not from seeds. While the plant itself is not remarkable in appearance, the nature of the controversy surrounding its use can make it a conversation piece in a plant collection.