Wrongly believed to be only a sweetener, Stevia rebaudiana, consumed in its natural form, can also bring significant benefits to our health. Let’s find out together the medicinal properties of this plant.
How I discovered Stevia
I was interested in this plant about two years ago when I read an interesting article that mentioned its many healing properties.
Until then I considered Stevia (or rather its extract) only and only a simple sweetener.
Then I decided to deepen and I found a farmer in Spain, Josep Pàmies, who cultivated the Stevia to then give it to diabetics, because, according to him, this plant was able to fight diabetes, regulating the sugar in the blood. And the testimonies in his favor were not lacking.
I also discovered that there were also several scientific publications (on Pubmed) that corroborated Mr. Pàmies.
Fascinated by these properties, I decided to start cultivating it and today it is part of my “arsenal” of medicinal plants.
On my website you can find the Stevia on this page .
The hidden properties of Stevia
Stevia is a small herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae family. Its original habitat is in South America, between the mountains of Brazil and Paraguay, where it grows wild.
It quickly became famous for its sweetening capacity , hundreds of times higher than that of sugar and for the fact that it contains no calories and does not raise blood sugar .
This means that Stevia is a very valid alternative to sugar to sweeten sweets and drinks . For more information on its use as a sweetener, read: Stevia the 0 calorie natural sweetener that replaces sugar
Its use has been admitted by the European Union (EU Commission Regulation No. 1131/2011 of 11 November 2011). In Italy, starting from that date, the green light has also been launched for its commercialization.
What not everyone knows is that Stevia is not a “just” a sweetener.
If taken in its natural form, ie as a fresh leaf, or dried, Stevia has interesting medicinal properties .
Let’s see in brief what they are:
1 – Regulates blood sugar
Although Stevia is very sweet, it does not contain calories and does not increase blood sugar , on the contrary, it has the incredible ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
Several studies have shown that Stevia is able to regulate blood glucose levels, reducing insulin resistance in diabetic subjects.
Moreover, in a study conducted on rats, scientists have shown that Stevia rebaudiana protects the liver and kidneys in diabetic subjects, two organs that are particularly at risk for people with this condition.
2 – Anti-tumor
Laboratory studies carried out on mice have shown that Stevia inhibits cancer by acting as turmeric , one of the most potent anti-tumors found in nature.
This anticarcinogenic action seems to be due to the presence of rebaudioside A and steviol-iso-steviol.
3 – Other properties
Continuing with research , scholars have discovered that Stevia has many other interesting properties:
- Anti-hypertensive : helps to modulate blood pressure values in case of hypertension;
- Anti-inflammatory : reduces the inflammation of the organism;
- Anti-diarrheal : blocks diarrhea;
- Diuretic : favors the elimination of excess liquids;
- Immunostimulant : stimulates the body’s immune defenses.
How to use Stevia?
Stevia can be consumed in different forms:
- as a fresh leaf (alone, or added to salads);
- as a whole dried leaf, or reduced to powder, for the preparation of teas, or added to tea, as a sweetener;
- liquid extract (to be added to beverages as a sweetener);
- tablets similar to saccharin;
- in the form of sweetener (the currently most commercialized Stevia extract).
However, in order to fully enjoy the therapeutic properties of Stevia, it is advisable to consume the fresh or dried leaf (point 1 and 2), as they contain a greater concentration of active ingredients and anticancer substances.
How to prepare Stevia tea:
Add a cucchaio of dried leaves of Stevia (whole or in powder) to a cup of boiling water. Wait 10 minutes and then filter.
The same can be done by adding Stevia to tea or herbal tea.
Stevia and the Dulce Revolution
In Spain , thanks to the information campaign of the non-profit Dulce Revolution association , the use of Stevia is becoming increasingly common, especially among people suffering from diabetes .
Dulce Revolution is an association that brings together all the people who want to share their positive experiences in the use of medicinal plants and non-aggressive natural therapies. The association takes its name from Stevia Rebaudiana, for its healthy sweetness and its properties.
Josep Pàmies , one of the main leaders of the association, is the person who takes care of informing people about the use of Stevia and other medicinal plants. Daily he gives interviews and conferences on the properties and correct use of these plants.
Where to buy Stevia
NB : All information published on this site is informative and should not be considered as advice, or medical prescriptions, or other.