Other Definitions
stevia (dict)
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SteviaStevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a shrub belonging to the Asteraceae (sunflower) family of plants. It is widely used as a sweetener in Japan, and is available in the US and Canada as a health food supplement. Originating in South America, it is found in the wild in semi-arid habitats ranging from grassland to mountain terrain. For centuries, the Guarani indios of Paraguay and Brazil used stevia, which they called ka'a he' (sweet herb) , as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating such conditions as obesity, high blood pressure, and heartburn. It has recently seen greater attention with the rise in demand for low-carb, low-sugar food alternatives. French chemists, in 1931, extracted the compounds which give stevia its sweet taste. These extracts were called steviosides, and were found to be 250 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose (ordinary table sugar). Stevia, in high concentrations, tastes bitter and slightly like liquorice; it also is reported to have negative health effects on fertility in rats. In use Around 1970 the Japanese began extracting steviosides from the stevia leaf for testing as an alternative to artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate which had engendered safety concerns. Stevia sweeteners have been produced commercially in Japan since 1977 and are widely used in food products and soft drinks and for table use. Japan currently consumes more stevia than any other country, where stevia accounts for 40% of the sweetener market. Stevia is also approved and used regularly in Brazil and other South American countries, China (since 1984), Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Israel. Stevia is grown commercially in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America, Israel, Thailand and China. China is the world's largest exporting country of the stevia extract, stevioside. Defense of use Proponents of its safety point out that stevia has been used by millions of users in modern countries such as Japan for thirty years, with no reported or known harmful effects on humans. It is also commonly used by diabetics since it does not raise insulin levels. Limits on use In the United States, stevia has been labelled as an "unsafe food additive," although there seems to be no evidence for harmful effects from consuming it in small doses. The stated reason, given by the FDA was "toxicological information on stevia is inadequate to demonstrate its safety." http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia4506.html Part of that decision was based on the European Commission study of laboratory mice, which found that larger doses could cause a decrease in fertility among males. The FDA ruling was controversial, as stevia proponents pointed out —this designation goes against the FDA's own rules which are supposed to automatically recognize a natural substance as safe if it has been in use prior to 1958 with no reported adverse effects. Currently, it is legal to import, grow, sell and consume Stevia products in the United States if it is contained within or labelled for use as a dietary supplement. Similarly, in Australia and Canada, stevia has been approved only for dietary supplements. However stevia has been grown on an experimental basis in Ontario since 1987 for the purpose of determining the feasibility of growing the crop commercially. Banned for use Stevia is not approved for use in the European Union, Singapore or Hong Kong http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr01-02/english/sec/library/0102fs04e.pdf. Based on studies on rats, the European Commission determined that stevia extract had the potential to affect male reproductive fertility. http://archive.food.gov.uk/pdf_files/stevia.pdf Researchers have also found that the main chemical in stevia can be converted to a compound that causes changes in genes. http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/3_19.htm Animal tests have shown mixed results in terms of toxicology and adverse effects of stevia extract. The European Commssion recommended further research before it could approve stevioside for use as a sweetener. External links
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