Medicinal plants: STEVIA
Scientific name: Stevia rebaudiana
Also know as: Candy leaf, herb of Paraguay, honey leaf, sugar leaf, sweet herb, sweetleaf
Also know as: Candy leaf, herb of Paraguay, honey leaf, sugar leaf, sweet herb, sweetleaf
Stevia is an herbaceous perennial growing from 12 to 30 inches in height. The leaves are opposite, toothed, oblong-oval, without stalks, and conspicuously whined. The leaves are about an inch in length and half as wide. Flowers are in a loose head, with disk flowers that are white or pale purple, tubular, and 5-lobed, with glandular hairs on the outer surface. The ribbed seed have bristly hairs at the top.The plant often produces sucker shoots at the base.
The most remarkable feature of stevia, however,is not seen but tasted. There is not a single plant that produces such a strincking sweetness from just a tiny part of its leaf. Of great promise as a sweetener for decades, it was only in 2008 that the sweet constituents of the leaf become available as a flavoring for foods in the United States. Despite the absence of regulatory approval up until now, the dried leaf has been available wherever herbs are sold.
Growing habits:
There are about 230 species in the genus Stevia, The vast majority native to drier regions of South America and western North America. It grows in a region with a subtropical humid climate with little rainfall in winter. Stevia is now rare in the wild
Cultivation and Harvesting
In most of the united states, Stevia is grown as a container plant or in greenhouses. Optimal growing conditions in a greenhouse require a temperature range of 50°F to 80°F. The plant is not hardy and will not survive temperatures below 30°F. It likes dry soil, especially when dormant, but responds with luxuriant leaf growth to feeding with a liquid fertilizer and moisture. Propagation is usually by cuttings.
Therapeutics Uses:
Stevia would have a brilliant future. A powerful sweetener with no calories, stevia could be a dietary phenomenon, especially for people watching calories and carbs. If his noncaloric sweetener should take the place of high-glycemic white sugar, the quality of carbohydrates in diet would improve-with benefits for teeth, blood sugar, and digestion. Further, stevia may directly affect the hormones and mechanisms involved with elevated blood sugar in diabetics, helping to lower sugar leaves and protect against the effects of high sugars.
Most of the benefits of stevia come from a compound called stevioside, which occurs primarily in the leaves, accounting for from 4 to 20 percent of the weight of the dry leaves. A compound similar in structure to stevioside and thought to have some physiological affects is rebaudioside A. Some animal studies show that stevia does not affect glucose absorption, though it may promote insulin release from the pancreas, increase sensitivity to insulin throughout the body, and slow glucose production in the liver. In humans one study involved 12 people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers examined the use of 1 g of an extract or placebo with a meal. Those receiving the stevia extract had a lower glucose level as a result of increased insulin secretion.
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| Fuente: healthscopemag |
The blood pressure-lowering effects of stevioside and rebaudoside A also have been studied, and results have been mixed. Some clinical trials demonstrated a decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with these compounds, while other trials disputed these results. this effect needs further study.
Stevia helps lower uric acid levels and inhibits the growth of dental decay and bacteria and improves dental health. It is used in treatments for diabetes, fatigue, heartburn, hypertension, hypoglycemia, and obesity. Its primary use is as a non sugar sweetener.
Stevia has been found to promote rapid healing and to deter scarring when applied topically. It can be used as a poultice to treat acne, eczema, dermatitis, seborrhea, and wounds. It also can be used as a hair rinse to moisturize dry hair and prevent hair loss.
How to use:
Powder: Stevia leaf, in powder form, can simply be used as a sugar substitute in various ways, such as sprinkling as a sweetener on food, in hot beverages, or in most recipes.
Liquid extract: Glycerin extracts are available, often standardized to the primary component of stevia leaf, stevioside. Several drops of these extracts can be added to food as a sweetener.
Precautions:
The safety of the chemical compound stevioside and of whole stevia leaf has been evaluated extensively in laboratory test looking at possible toxic, genetic, or cancer-causing effects.Both have been determined to be safe when used as a sweetener. Cares hold be taken when stevia is used in combination with medications that also lower blood sugar. Uncommonly, stevia can cause stomach upset.
