Stevia is on everyone’s lips. An herb used as a natural sweetener instead of aspartame.
The plant grows wild in South America and stevioglycosides can be extracted from its leaves. Substances that are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Historically, stevia has been used both as a beauty product and as a food. It has been used, for example, for temporary problems such as stomach tightness, fatigue and skin problems. In Sweden, stevia has been approved as a food additive since December 2011.
Stevia is an herb that requires a lot of care if you want to keep it sweet.
Of course, it’s important to keep an eye on it and make sure it gets enough water. But the reason to check it daily is to keep the leaves really sweet. You really mustn’t let it bloom!
Plant it in a warm climate. Preferably in pots on the balcony or in a sheltered sunny position where you spend a lot of time so you don’t forget about it.
Stevia is a perennial, and it can live for 4-5 years. Awesome, isn’t it? Like the olive tree, it depends on a good climate but also needs to hibernate. Keep it frost-free.
Do not allow Stevia to form flowers. As soon as it flowers, the leaves lose much of their sweetness. It doesn’t affect its medicinal properties, so if you’re growing it for that reason, it doesn’t matter. However, it is important to know that the taste changes drastically.
–Easyplant to grow!
-Give it fine soil in the ground or in a pot, water it regularly, and it will thrive.
-Do not leave it in water. If you grow it in a pot, let it drain freely.
-Stevia revives itself effectively if you quickly water it if it dries out.
-Waterlogged plants will develop dark leaves that die.
-Protect Stevia from frost!
If you want low-calorie baking, why not try growing stevia?
