Stevia, Sugar Replacement

So far we know that sugar cane and palm trees is sugar-producing plants are a source of primary sweetener. However, if the sugar is consumed in excess will cause various diseases because if you lack the calories, one diabetes.

In fact, if we eat a food or drink without sugar, it will taste bland. Therefore, is there any sugar that has no calories so that people can use regardless of the sugar glucose levels?

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. (Picture from: http://www.orgsites.com/)

Apparently the sugar derived from sugar cane and it's not a major source of sweeteners, other alternatives have been found to replace him, the family of Asteraceae plants including plant is a native of South America, Central America, and Mexico that can be used as a substitute artificial sweetener aspartame and saccharin.

Stevia was first investigated by the Spanish botanist and physician Jacobus Petrus Stevus (Pedro Jaime Esteve) and he uses his last name as a title plant that is stevia. Stevia types are mostly found in Indonesia is Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni coming from Paraguay, was discovered in Indonesia precisely in the area Ngargoyoso, Tawangmangu, Karanganyar, and Central Java. People of Indonesia know this plant since the 1990s. Stevia plant contains steviosida and rebaudiosida that can be used as a sweetener from the leaves. Steviosida sweetener is one of the natural sweetener that is non-nutritive sweetener and is a non-sugar.

This plant has a sweetness of 200-300 times than cane and low in calories so it is safe for consumption by people with diabetes and obesity. Stevia can be used in fresh or can be incorporated into a variety of beverages such as tea and coffee and even food.

Stevia plant can be utilized in the form of powder or liquid extract form. If the powder form can be directly added to food or drink, but in small quantities, while for liquids, how to use it with a dropped bit by bit.

Various studies have found levels of the extract of stevia leaves and rebaudiosida steviosida other than the protein, fiber, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, a flavonoid, vitamin A, vitamin C and the oil containing 53 elements other, and contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. This plant has important benefits, including weight loss, not carcinogenic, lowers high blood pressure, lowering blood sugar and treat diabetes.

Stevia can lose weight because it contains no calories at all even practically zero. So, when we consume food or beverages with the addition of Stevia do not need to fear the most fat because Stevia contains no calories. Steviosida and rebaudiosida on Stevia can not be fermented by bacteria in the mouth to acid that is safe for teeth.

In addition, by eating between 750 to 1.500 mg stevioside per day can lower high blood pressure and can lower blood sugar by 18% with 1.000 mg of stevioside, helps in skin care, as in Paraguay and the United States, liquid stevia leaves used to make herbal soap, face masks, hair cream and shampoo made.

Stevia is the advantage lies in its nature so that the long-term use is not detrimental. So, Stevia is extremely useful and beneficial stevia leaf extract can also be used for us, especially to have diabetes. Thus, they can consume these sweeteners without fear of illness. *** [M. FARIZ EFFENDI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 07062012]

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