Contents
History of stevia
In ancient times, Indians from Brazil and Paraguay used stevia as food. It was added as a sweetener to various teas, including medicinal ones. It was also used to treat burns, colic, heartburn, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.
Over time, people have noticed that stevia improves well-being, reduces weight, improves blood flow, and reduces the risk of developing hypertension.
At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, French scientists isolated extracts from honey grass (steviosides and rebaudiosides) that turned out to be hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. However, they had no effect on blood glucose levels. For people with diabetes, stevia has become an indispensable product.
The benefits of stevia
Honey grass has medicinal properties. Stevia does not contain carbohydrates, so it does not contain calories. Doctors recommend it for a balanced diet when losing weight.
There are two main compounds in stevia, rebaudioside A and stevioside. They give the herb a sweet taste with a bitter aftertaste.
There are also many sterols and antioxidants (eg, kaempferol, flavonoids, tannin) that reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer by 20 percent. Stevia also dilates blood vessels, they help to remove sodium from the body, thereby lowering blood pressure.
In addition, stevia stops the growth of bacteria in the mouth, which is attributed to the development of caries.
The composition and calorie content of stevia
| Caloric content for 100 grams | 18 kcal |
| Proteins | 0 kcal |
| Fats | 0 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 0,1 kcal |
Harm stevia
Stevia is not recommended for people who are taking blood sugar medications. Honey grass can also cause side effects when interacting with antifungal and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as drugs that lower cholesterol. Therefore, before using stevia, it is worth consulting with a therapist.
In addition, stevia as a herb can cause allergies. Therefore, if there is an individual intolerance to ambrosia, marigolds, chrysanthemums and daisies, then most likely there will be a reaction to stevia.
Application in medicine
Stevia is valuable because it is tens or even hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, but it does not increase blood sugar levels.
– Stevia also contains chromium, which helps in the absorption of sugar in the blood. Simply put, stevia facilitates the action of insulin. Stevia contains selenium, copper, which perfectly improve the condition of the skin. There is zinc, which has an immunomodulatory effect. Vitamins of groups B, C, PP heal the body. Stevia is a proven herb. It can be used for diabetics. Other sweeteners have many side effects. In stevia – on the contrary, only positive. Stevia is best brewed as a tea. Tablets are not recommended because they contain additives. You can’t get carried away with stevia on an empty stomach, because the brain will perceive the sweetener as sugar. And anyway, insulin will be produced, which will later turn into fat, – said Elena Solomatina, candidate of medical sciences.
Cooking application
Stevia is used in the manufacture of sweets, ice cream, yogurt, chewing gum and desserts. Crushed fresh or dried leaves are added to tea, coffee and soft drinks. Sometimes stevia herb extract is added to toothpastes, pickled foods, sauces.
Stevia is not afraid of high temperatures, so it is used as a natural sweetener in baking and hot dishes.
Low calorie cherry and stevia pie
An ideal option for those who love sweets and at the same time follow the figure. There are only 100 kcal in 136 grams of pie. Dessert consists of simple ingredients. Cooking time – only half an hour
| low fat yogurt | 1 glass |
| Berries (cherries) | 200 g |
| Oatmeal (ground) | 150 g |
| Eggs | 2 piece. |
| Cocoa | 20 g |
| stevia powder | to taste |
Mix oatmeal, stevia, cocoa, yogurt and eggs. Pour half of the resulting dough into a baking dish. Arrange the berries and pour them with the second half of the dough. Bake until ready for 20 minutes.
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Berry ice cream with stevia
Summer menu recipe. A cold dessert with your favorite berries turns out to be light and low-calorie, and most importantly – healthy. Does not require additional preparation costs
| Yogurt (without additives) | 200 g |
| Frozen berries to taste (cherries, strawberries, blueberries) | 200 g |
| Stevia | to taste |
Mix yogurt with berries, add stevia. Beat with a blender. Divide into portions and leave in the freezer for 30 minutes to set.
How to choose and store
Stevia is sold in different forms – in the form of powder, granules, tablets, tea and liquid. For example, an herb in powder or liquid form is 200 times sweeter than sugar than its whole or dried leaves (they are only 10 to 40 times sweeter than sugar). In addition, liquid stevia may contain alcohol, and powdered stevia may contain inulin (plant fiber).
When choosing, pay attention to the composition of stevia. Make sure you have a 100% natural product. The composition should not contain glucose (dextrose) and starch (maltodextrin).
Read the expiration date and storage conditions on the package. Stevia is usually stored in a dark place, out of direct sunlight. The average shelf life is 3 years from the date of manufacture.