Native to South and Central America, Stevia, or Stevia Revaudiana, has been used for centuries among the Guarani Tribes of Paraguay for sweetening their medicinal teas for heartburn and other such ailments. More modernly, it has been viewed as an alternative sweetener by the rest of the world, and a possible substitute for sugar. With a taste that has a slower onset but longer duration than sugar, Stevia has been shown to possess a sweetness 300 times more potent than sugar, which makes it quite popular for diets where less carbohydrates and less sugar are the key. It is widely used as an alternative to sugar in Japan, with the Canada and the US regulating it somewhat more as a supplement.

Modern research shows this sweet leaf to be a promising treatment of obesity and hypertension. It has a negligible effect on blood glucose, and even possesses the remarkable quality of enhancing glucose tolerance. This, understandably, makes it quite attractive to diabetics and others who must remain on carbohydrate-controlled diets, providing them a healthy alternative to sugar and carbs.

This is a 1 oz packet of cut Stevia.