You can make stevia sugar and powder yourself in several ways. The first method involves crushing the leaves and straining them through fine mesh cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or coffee filter. Next, you can heat the resulting liquid gently for 20-30 minutes until alcohol evaporates and the volume decreases. The resulting extract can be stored in a pint-sized glass jar. For each ounce of liquid sweetener, you need about one cup of crumbled stevia leaf.
OLNY pure stevia
OLNY pure stevia extracts are the only sweeteners that contain no calories and are completely natural. The leaf extract is a white, water-soluble sweetener that is ideal for use in beverages, yogurt, and fruits. Moreover, stevia can be used universally in the kitchen. It is a great addition to smoothies, cold and hot drinks, and sweet desserts. It can also be a valuable companion to people on a diet.
In a 2010 study, stevia significantly lowered blood glucose and insulin levels. Furthermore, it decreased the glucagon response, a hormone that regulates blood glucose. People with diabetes have a faulty glucagon response because it drops when glucose levels rise. Stevia, however, is safe to consume and is the ideal sugar substitute. The OLNY pure stevia extracts and stevia sugar and powder are available in stores.
However, many brands add other ingredients, such as alcohol and dextrose, to bulk up the products. The best liquid stevia contains a pure stevia extract and does not contain any additives. It contains no alcohol, gluten, yeast, MSG, or alcohol, and it is free from all common allergens. Plus, it tastes great. Of course, if you have a green thumb, you can even grow your own stevia!
EFSA ANS Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources
Currently, stevia leaf extracts are being proposed for general-purpose sweetening purposes in many food products. The resulting steviol glycosides, derived from the stevia leaf, are similar in sweetness intensity to aspartame, which is 200 times sweeter than sucrose. The dietary exposure data have been adjusted to account for the relative sweetness intensity of steviol glycosides.
The EFSA ANS Panel on Food Addits and Nutrient Sources has evaluated the safety of stevia leaf extracts based on scientific procedures. In the U.S., the sugar and powder extracted from stevia are GRAS products. This means that they have no adverse effect when used according to current good manufacturing practices.
Based on the EFSA ANS Panel on Food Addits and Nutrient Sources' latest assessment, rebaudioside AM (REV) is a potential nutrient in humans. Several studies have shown that it is safe for humans to consume small doses of stevia sugar and powder.
Moreover, rebaudioside AM is included in the definition of a food additive and its specification. It is used under the same conditions as steviol glycosides (E960) approved for food use in the EU. Both of these compounds are produced through enzymatic bioconversion of purified stevia leaf extract.
EFSA ANS Panel on Food Additives
The stevia plant has several different varieties, each with their own unique set of nutrients. Stevia extracts are highly sweet, and are typically regarded as safe for human consumption. However, some products containing stevia may not be safe for infants or children. In order to ensure the safety of stevia extracts, manufacturers should carefully study the ingredients of their products.
To assess the safety of stevia extracts, Cargill asked an Expert Panel consisting of independent scientists with relevant national and international experience and scientific training. The experts considered the available information and data and assessed the intended use of stevia leaf extracts in food and drinks. However, because the process involved scientific procedures, the EFSA ANS Panel on Food Additives concluded that the products are safe.
Several companies have already successfully exported stevia to the European market. These companies have well-developed websites with clear information on their products. The sites of these companies contain professional photographs. This helps to inform prospective buyers about the company's background and the products that they are selling. In addition, they also provide useful information about the European food additives market.
