People need vitamins to supplement their daily nutrition. This is ideal notably for those who are experiencing certain illnesses that have caused deficiencies in some nutrients in their body.

Depending on your health requirements, there are practically numerous vitamins available on the market today. Those that contain the popular plant Stevia or the sweet chemicals called steviol glycosides is just one of them.

Stevia is a well known sweetener that does not contain carbohydrates. It’s considered to be a healthy alternative to sugar and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a sugar substitute.

It’s quite common these days for health drinks, juices, flavored drinks and even soft drinks to contain this ingredient. Being free from calories and sweeter than sugar, drink manufacturers have turned to the stevia to sweeten their products without risking people’s health.

Apart from being a natural sweetener, however, this plant is also rich in vitamins and minerals. For one, it is high in chromium which plays an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Other minerals it contain are potassium, manganese, selenium, silicon, sodium, iron, niacin, phosphorus and zinc.

Unaware to some of you, stevia also contains several vitamins. These are vitamins A, C and the compounds that make up the B vitamin such as riboflavin and thiamine.

Owing to their vitamin and mineral content, research has found that this plant native in South America can help people suffering from various illnesses such as diabetes, heartburn, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure as well as skin problems including dermatitis and eczema. Specifically, it aids in preventing the growth of organisms and bacteria harmful to the body.

Stevia has been used in several countries for many years now. In the U.S., it is imported as a liquid concentrate and dietary supplement. The water-based concentrate, however, is more popular than the alcohol extracts as it is believed to contain more nutrients necessary in healing the body.

In Japan, it undergoes a refining process to create a white sugar-like sweetener called stevioside but sweeter than the regular sugar. It has been used in the country for more than 40 years now.

Stevia is a green plant belonging to the sunflower family. Its Latin name is stevia rebaudiana bertoni. Currently, it is being cultivated not only in Japan but as well as in Brazil, China, Korea and Thailand.

Today, people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle can count on the different plants, herbs and leafy vegetables available on the market to keep them fit. And stevia is one of the so-called living foods that you can choose as a reliable source of vitamins and minerals for your daily needs.

Originally posted on August 25, 2012 @ 9:00 am