All about the Stevia sugar substitute

What is Stevia?

Steviol glycoside is a calorie-free sweetener that is extracted from the stevia plant.

The stevia plant belongs to the chrysanthemum family and originates from the north east of Paraguay. Hundreds of years ago, the native inhabitants of Paraguay and Brazil recognised the strong sweetening power of the plant and since then have used the leaves to sweeten their food and drink. Stevia is also known as a honey herb in these countries because of its irresistible sweetness. Today, stevia is cultivated in large parts of the world, including South America, Asia and Australia, and has been approved as a calorie-free sugar substitute in many countries.

You can find more information on stevia here.

Superfood from South America

The natives of Paraguay and Brazil have known for a long time: The leaves of the stevia plant are great for sweetening drinks and food. For hundreds of years, they have been using the plant, which they know as the "honey herb", for their teas and food. In 2008, the sweetener steviol glycoside was authorised by the Food Authority in Switzerland. Two years later SteviaSweet came onto the market and since then has enjoyed increasing popularity.

Here you can find out more about Stevia.

What are the different SteviaSweet products?

SteviaSweet is available as a crystal, powder, as tablets or liquid with agave.

No matter which food or drink you wish to sweeten, SteviaSweet has just the right product. For example, SteviaSweet Crystal, which gives your hot drinks the sweetness you want, can be used to sweeten fruit or be sprinkled over your morning cornflakes. Thanks to its heat resistance, it can also replace sugar in baking and cooking. SteviaSweet is also available in tablet form - which makes it easy to get just the right amount for tea or coffee. SteviaSweet liquid with agave dissolves quickly and goes perfectly in hot and cold drinks such as smoothies or iced tea, but can also be used for creamy desserts, for cooking and for baking. SteviaSweet Powder is also available in some countries; it has the same qualities as SteviaSweet Crystal, however, Crystal is even better for baking.

Is Stevia Healthy?

Steviol glycosides have been authorised in the EU since 2011. But is the natural sugar substitute really healthier than sugar? And are there any health side-effects? We take a closer look.

Read everything about is Stevia healthy here.

Cooking and baking with Stevia – how it works!


Are you unsure how and where to use stevia? First, familiarise yourself with the natural sweetener – we’ve put together a few key tips for you. Stevia has many advantages over sugar, for example stevia products are calorie-free and protect the teeth. More and more people are leaving the conventional sugar on the shelf.

Read everything about baking and cooking with stevia here.

Living without sugar

Is it possible to live completely without sugar? Stefanie, a nutritionist at Natural Health Coaching, helps us find out.

Read everything about the full interview here. 
 

Sugar alternatives

  • The per-capita consumption of sugar in Germany is 4 times higher than the WHO recommendation. We urgently need to reduce our sugar intake. But how harmful is sugar really? Are there healthy alternatives? And how do I use sugar substitute products?

    We would like to provide you with answers to these questions.

From plant to product

Extracting the steviol glycoside sweetener from the stevia plant is no piece of cake. For this purpose, an elaborate process is necessary in which, in simple terms, the water is first removed from the leaves. The steviol glycosides are then purified and filtered. The crystallised and dried steviol glycosides are mixed with natural aromas. This is necessary because Stevia has a peculiar flavour, which some people find unpleasant. The mixture with natural aromas gives SteviaSweet its rounded, sugar-like taste.