Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (sweet umbrella leaf) is a unique South American perennial plant of the aster family. Stevia herb itself is 30 times as sweet as sugar, and diterpene glycosides (steviosides) in the herb composition exceed sweetness of ordinary sugar by a factor of 300 and are entirely calorie-free. That is why Stevia currently represents the only natural calorie-free sugar substitute. This unique plant contains various mineral compounds, vitamins, essential oils, amino acids, pectins etc. It comprises substances playing the role of construction materials for the production of hormones in human body.

Unique therapeutic and gustatory characteristics of Stevia are capable of restoring disturbed metabolic processes in the body; they normalize blood glucose level and blood pressure, strengthen blood vessels, inhibit the growth of neoplasms, elevate energy level, delay ageing processes, protect the body from harmful effects of the environment, and harmonize all body systems.
Stevia habitat is South America; it grows mainly in the conditions of subhumid subtropical climate in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. The term “Stevia” translated from the Mayan language means “honey”. South America inhabitants used Stevia herb in their diet since ancient times.
According to the ancient legend by South America Indian tribes, this curative herb was given to people by gods for the acquisition of agape and allegiance, happiness, eternal beauty and strength. Indians called this plant “sweet herb” or “honey leaves” and have consumed it for more than 1500 years.
Stevia was identified for the first time by Spanish conquistadors in XVI century near the Village of Rio Monde at south-east of Paraguay. Then, it was forgotten for a long time. The interest to this plant was revived after the publishing of several articles by a Paraguay plant biologist Moises Bertoni about the “honey leaf” at the end of XVIII and the beginning of XIX century.
“When you look at the plant for the first time, nothing in it draws your special attention, but when you put a small leaf into your mouth, its sweetness surprises you. A small leaf fragment is enough to feel the sweet taste in your mouth for an hour”. These words, written by М. Bertoni in 1899, discovered and presented the unique plant Stevia to the whole world; the plant was named after the author – Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The plant initially called Eupatorium rebaudianum was described in more detail, and its name was changed into Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in 1905.
In 1930-th of ХХ century, academician N.I. Vavilov brought Stevia seeds from his expedition to Paraguay. In his letter to USSR government, the scientist pointed out unique therapeutic and gustatory properties of this plant. In this letter, Vavilov mentioned the potential of using Stevia in the food industry as a sugar substitute. Nevertheless, due to repressions of these times, “Stevia” program in USSR was postponed for many years.
Stevia was studied in many countries: UK, Bulgaria, Israel, USA, Canada, China, and Japan. The complex of Stevia sweet compounds comprises eight ingredients which differ one from each other both in terms of sweetness degree and content in leaves.
The main substances isolated in the middle of XX century, which made Stevia so famous, are found only in this plant: stevioside and rebaudiosides – diterpenoid glycosides. Their sweetness is 200–400 times as potent as that of sucrose. Stevioside has become the most prevalent as a sugar substitute, as its content in the plant is higher. Stevia has been recognized as a natural sweetener of non-carbohydrate nature.
Medico-biological, hygienic, biochemical, morphological and physicochemical studies of the effect on living organisms have proven that Stevia is absolutely harmless even in the conditions of long-term use, unlike currently used synthetic sugar substitutes: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame etc., having several serious side effects.
In some countries, consumption of Stevia has become customary. The sweet honey herb may be consumed without any limitations, having regard only for the body need in sweet products.
In their studies, scientists regarded Stevia not only as a sugar substitute. Therapeutic and prophylactic properties of ingredients found in Stevia leaves were studied with utmost attention. Many studies were conducted by using Stevia for therapeutic purposes and using Stevia extract as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent.

Nowadays, many scientists have called Stevia the panacea of the ХХІ century.
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni (sweet umbrella leaf) is a unique South American perennial plant of the aster family. Stevia herb itself is 30 times as sweet as sugar, and diterpene glycosides (steviosides) in the herb composition exceed sweetness of ordinary sugar by a factor of 300 and are entirely calorie-free. That is why Stevia currently represents the only natural calorie-free sugar substitute. This unique plant contains various mineral compounds, vitamins, essential oils, amino acids, pectins etc. It comprises substances playing the role of construction materials for the production of hormones in human body.
Unique therapeutic and gustatory characteristics of Stevia are capable of restoring disturbed metabolic processes in the body; they normalize blood glucose level and blood pressure, strengthen blood vessels, inhibit the growth of neoplasms, elevate energy level, delay ageing processes, protect the body from harmful effects of the environment, and harmonize all body systems.
Stevia habitat is South America; it grows mainly in the conditions of subhumid subtropical climate in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. The term “Stevia” translated from the Mayan language means “honey”. South America inhabitants used Stevia herb in their diet since ancient times.
According to the ancient legend by South America Indian tribes, this curative herb was given to people by gods for the acquisition of agape and allegiance, happiness, eternal beauty and strength. Indians called this plant “sweet herb” or “honey leaves” and have consumed it for more than 1500 years.
Stevia was identified for the first time by Spanish conquistadors in XVI century near the Village of Rio Monde at south-east of Paraguay. Then, it was forgotten for a long time. The interest to this plant was revived after the publishing of several articles by a Paraguay plant biologist Moises Bertoni about the “honey leaf” at the end of XVIII and the beginning of XIX century.
“When you look at the plant for the first time, nothing in it draws your special attention, but when you put a small leaf into your mouth, its sweetness surprises you. A small leaf fragment is enough to feel the sweet taste in your mouth for an hour”. These words, written by М. Bertoni in 1899, discovered and presented the unique plant Stevia to the whole world; the plant was named after the author – Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The plant initially called Eupatorium rebaudianum was described in more detail, and its name was changed into Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in 1905.
In 1930-th of ХХ century, academician N.I. Vavilov brought Stevia seeds from his expedition to Paraguay. In his letter to USSR government, the scientist pointed out unique therapeutic and gustatory properties of this plant. In this letter, Vavilov mentioned the potential of using Stevia in the food industry as a sugar substitute. Nevertheless, due to repressions of these times, “Stevia” program in USSR was postponed for many years.
Stevia was studied in many countries: UK, Bulgaria, Israel, USA, Canada, China, and Japan. The complex of Stevia sweet compounds comprises eight ingredients which differ one from each other both in terms of sweetness degree and content in leaves.
The main substances isolated in the middle of XX century, which made Stevia so famous, are found only in this plant: stevioside and rebaudiosides – diterpenoid glycosides. Their sweetness is 200–400 times as potent as that of sucrose. Stevioside has become the most prevalent as a sugar substitute, as its content in the plant is higher. Stevia has been recognized as a natural sweetener of non-carbohydrate nature.
Medico-biological, hygienic, biochemical, morphological and physicochemical studies of the effect on living organisms have proven that Stevia is absolutely harmless even in the conditions of long-term use, unlike currently used synthetic sugar substitutes: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame etc., having several serious side effects.
In some countries, consumption of Stevia has become customary. The sweet honey herb may be consumed without any limitations, having regard only for the body need in sweet products.
In their studies, scientists regarded Stevia not only as a sugar substitute. Therapeutic and prophylactic properties of ingredients found in Stevia leaves were studied with utmost attention. Many studies were conducted by using Stevia for therapeutic purposes and using Stevia extract as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent.
Nowadays, many scientists have called Stevia the panacea of the ХХІ century.