I grow stevia every year, dry the leaves, and use the powder for sweetener in drinks such as coffee and tea. My son uses it in a sports drink he makes consisting of water, lemon and stevia.
So, what is Stevia? It’s a shrub native to Paraquay where the Guarani Indians have been using it for over 1500 years. It is a natural sweetener with no calories and is diabetic safe. The stevia leaves are 10-15 times sweeter than sugar.
This plant is nontoxic and has been found to repel some insects; this may be due to the sweetness, which may act as a natural defense against aphids and other insects.
Stevia can be grown in containers, the greenhouse or out in the garden. Do not plant outside until all danger of frost is gone and the soil is warm. Young stevia plants are sensitive to low temperatures and all plants like to be moist but not to wet. Applying a layer of mulch around the plant will help to keep the soil moist in-between watering.
Harvest your stevia plants before the first frost. To harvest you can cut the whole plant and hang it upside down to dry or pick the leaves and use a screen, net or food dehydrator to dry them.
Once the leaves are dried, you can easily crush them into powder with your hands.
You can make your own stevia liquid by soaking crushed stevia leaves in water for a day or so, or by pouring hot water over the powder using a coffee filter.
Here is a wonderful Blog I came across that is dedicated to Stevia Recipes. It’s a wonderful site.
http://steviarecipes.blogspot.com/
So, what is Stevia? It’s a shrub native to Paraquay where the Guarani Indians have been using it for over 1500 years. It is a natural sweetener with no calories and is diabetic safe. The stevia leaves are 10-15 times sweeter than sugar.
This plant is nontoxic and has been found to repel some insects; this may be due to the sweetness, which may act as a natural defense against aphids and other insects.
Stevia can be grown in containers, the greenhouse or out in the garden. Do not plant outside until all danger of frost is gone and the soil is warm. Young stevia plants are sensitive to low temperatures and all plants like to be moist but not to wet. Applying a layer of mulch around the plant will help to keep the soil moist in-between watering.
Harvest your stevia plants before the first frost. To harvest you can cut the whole plant and hang it upside down to dry or pick the leaves and use a screen, net or food dehydrator to dry them.
Once the leaves are dried, you can easily crush them into powder with your hands.
You can make your own stevia liquid by soaking crushed stevia leaves in water for a day or so, or by pouring hot water over the powder using a coffee filter.
Here is a wonderful Blog I came across that is dedicated to Stevia Recipes. It’s a wonderful site.
http://steviarecipes.blogspot.com/
