Is the new sweetener healthy?
Stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana or also called honey herb, is a plant originating from subtropical and tropical South and Central America.
Stevia sweetener is at the basis of becoming a widely accepted new sweetener.
Today a new stevia sweetener is made from the Stevia plant, which is up to 300 times as sweet as sugar. Stevia sweetener fits into the list of sugar substitutes, with the advantage that stevia is of natural origin.
The sweetener is a tasty and healthier alternative to sugar and chemical sweeteners. The active ingredients of the stevia plant have health benefits.
New sweetener sugar substitute?
Stevia sweetener can serve as a sugar substitute, but not in all cases. Many trials are currently underway to further improve the taste profile of the new sweetener stevia. Stevia sweetener has a different taste profile than the well-known sugar. Stevia sweetener tends to have a slightly bitter aftertaste when overdosed and has a different aftertaste (aftertaste) at higher concentrations.
So it is important when applying stevia sweetener extract as a sugar substitute to try out the concentrations first.
It will be difficult for stevia to become an overall alternative to sugar and to replace sugar completely, as sugar also has other properties that Stevia does not possess. For example, sugar is used as a cheap filler (bulk material) and sugar has a good preservative effect. So it clearly comes down to the application. In Japan, stevia's market share is now 30-40%, so there is still enough growth potential for Stevia in Europe.