When Sugar Can't be bought on the market...an herbal replacement...

Hello everyone at ATS. I just started my garden yesterday. (Yes I am a procrastinator, a little bit.)
So anyway When I used to go to a local occult shop, which is now no longer in business, they always had herbal teas prepared for customers to sample. Most were unsweetened (which I deplored as I am a sugar fiend lol) but one time when I went there they had an herbal tea prepared and to my surprise it was sweet. It was yummy, so I asked "Did you guys start adding sugar to your teas?" As I knew it was not honey, because honey has a distinct taste, you can tell if they used honey. The clerk replied "No, this has Stevia in it." He then went on to explain that the herb Stevia is a natural sweetener! Most of you will know about this plant because of Truvia, which came out soon after I had learned about Stevia. So...me being the connoisseur of sugar that I am, and not knowing if when the SHTF there will be any sugar to be found on the market, I decided I would buy a stevia plant at Lowe's (actually it was three plants in the one pot), and plant them in my garden, which of course contains veggies and fruits as well. They will spread, just like Mint, for those of you that have grown Mint before. To me it is the wonder plant, because I am so fond of sugar, and because I do spend way too much money having to replace sugar, especially in the summer when I am basically making a gallon pitcher of iced tea every day.

Anyway, it has a plethora of other benefits to your health. Such as what is in the following quote.

Benefits of Stevia
Stevia has been known for hundreds of years by tribes in south America. In this time it has not only been used as sweetener but as healing plant and healthy food additive.

Unlike artificial sweeteners like aspartame, Stevia is said to have no bad effects on the insulin balancing process of the human body. Instead the report of the WHO mentioned above says it has a negligible effect on blood glucose and could even enhance glucose tolerance. That makes it not only a good natural sweetener for diabetics, but almost for everyone.

In opposition to sugar, Stevia contains no calories but is still 300 times sweeter and it’s also good for the teeth and is effective against caries and dental plaque.

Other experiments and researches found some positive Stevia side effects on obesity and high blood pressure.

All this makes the sweet leaf a natural and healthy alternative to sugar and synthetically produced sweeteners. You can use it for cooking and baking as it’s really heat-resistant and perfectly water soluble

Stevia

So if you're worried about having a sweetener, and love sugar like I do, or sweetness, like I do. Grow yourself some Stevia! Also from the link :

In opposition to sugar, Stevia contains no calories but is still 300 times sweeter and it’s also good for the teeth and is effective against caries and dental plaque.

It is as sweet as they say. I let my friend's child and my friend have a taste, after me, of course. And it tasted very, very sweet, and that was only 1 leaf. It convinced my friend to buy herself a plant, too!

So there you go guys, an herbal replacement for sugar, have you ever the need.

Yup.. Stevia is great and grows like a weed. It has been used for ages and ages as a sweetener. But don't look for it to be on your grocery shelves as such. The FDA refuses to approve it as a sweetener.

The blog here marytoscano.com... explains it a little, but more digging would be needed to get better details about the issue. (In a rush right now and no time).

reply to post by rogerstigers


Well, as far as I know you can buy it at health food stores they sell it as an extract and as a powder, which the powder yu can make yourself if you grow it. Which is what I intend to do for the long run, so I will always have something for my sweet tooth.

Growing it is the best bet anyway. Therefore, you will always have it. As long as Big Brother don't make it illegal to grow (sshhhhhhhhhh!! !) don't let them hear that!

Beets are also a good alternative to derive sweetness from however, it takes a lot of processing and isn't as sweet.

Also Maple syrup.

You can collect and make that if you have the right trees around.

reply to post by ldyserenity


I love stevia! And... It tastes like sugar when I mix stevia and agave.

Thanks for this thread!

Originally posted by rogerstigers
Yup.. Stevia is great and grows like a weed. It has been used for ages and ages as a sweetener. But don't look for it to be on your grocery shelves as such. The FDA refuses to approve it as a sweetener.

The blog here marytoscano.com... explains it a little, but more digging would be needed to get better details about the issue. (In a rush right now and no time).

As others have said, it IS available. I buy mine at the health food store. I guess they're calling it a "supplement" though food stamps does cover it.

I want to get some stevia plants, though. That would be awesome.

Procrastinator? Your lucky you can put a garden in already! I still have to what a few weeks to put plants in.
Thanks for this post! I'm enlarging my herb garden now I know what else I will be adding, although it will go into a tub, as I learned my lessen with the darn mint that is now all over my back yard!

reply to post by ldyserenity


Stevia leaves a terrible after taste. Sugar creates chaotic imbalances in your system so it is better to just let it go like an old friend you just know is going to stab you in the back one day. Walk away and make a clean escape from it before it kills you.

reply to post by newcovenant


I never tried Stevia, but I definitively will!
Oh sugar is bad in too high doses, but the brain is fulled 90% by sugar! ^^
Of course, some sugars are better then others...

Yeah I can't believe how much fake sugar is everywhere, I avoid all kinds of it.

Originally posted by newcovenant
reply to post by ldyserenity

 

Stevia leaves a terrible after taste. Sugar creates chaotic imbalances in your system so it is better to just let it go like an old friend you just know is going to stab you in the back one day. Walk away and make a clean escape from it before it kills you.

It's not so bad to me, and I despise the aspartame because Of it's after taste.
At least I know this is natural. Also there are things one can do to counter-measure the bitter aftertaste.

I don't like the aftertaste of raw Stevia, but I have used the packaged kind before. Now, I use agave nectar, honey or syrup. But in the absence of those, I'd definitely use Stevia.

I understand that it is available for purchase (at health stores and herbal shops) but as has been mentioned before, it is only available as a "nutritional supplement" because it is illegal to call it a "sweetener".. *shrug* I have some in my pantry and would love to grow a crop of it in the coming years. I will have to try mixing it with Agave and see how that works out. We are a very low sugar household because of Type 1 diabetes, but aspartame is not exactly an alternative that I feel comfortable with.

reply to post by rogerstigers


Oh I see what you meant now. Sorry about that. You know I think I could grow agave here, since I live in the south, that's another plant that is very versatile also it makes tequila (blue agave) so it would def. be an asset to any garden!
I think I'll check out the stores for some blue agave now.

I grow both stevia & various mints. My kids will grab a leaf of stevia, and wrap it around a leaf of chocolate mint! It tasted just like a mint patty! Delicious!

Growing it is the best bet anyway. Therefore, you will always have it. As long as Big Brother don't make it illegal to grow (sshhhhhhhhhh!! !) don't let them hear that!



Stevia was illegal in the US until just recently. Alot of gov officials owned sugarcaine fields and thus banned the product.

I love Stevia! I mentioned it in another thread that was about sugar and obesity, Stevia could be the answer to this problem. But no! The government doesn't want us using it! What a crock....

There are a few drinks that use Stevia, I believe Vitamin water or maybe that "Fuze" stuff has Stevia extract in it.

It's really easy to make your own extract as well, I'll be honest and say I've been very lazy and have come nowhere close to replacing sugar in my diet completely with Stevia, but I have made extract several times and I love it in foods.

All you have to do is throw the leaves in a food processor, then mix it with some Vodka or Everclear and let it sit for a day or two. Then strain out all the plant material, and reduce down the liquid on the stove to remove the alcohol and most of the water. You are left with a nice stevia syrup, and you don't have to use much at all because it's pretty darn strong. I like to crush up vitamin c tablets (not the candy ones, the pure vitamin C ones) and cook it with the stevia. Gives it a little more depth of flavor and the acidity works nicely if you are making drinks with the extract. Kind of your own custom cocktail mix. I'm sure lemon or lime juice would work just as well though.

The S may HTF but......

the TEOTWAWKI will be when I have to drink my ice tea with no ice and no sugar !!!!!!!!!!

reply to post by rogerstigers


It is now in stores; Publix carries it near the other sugars. They have it boxed as Truvia, Stevia, Stevia in the raw... The fda allowed it to be grown and sold in the US in late 2009.

So the FDA refuses to allow a safe plant as an additive....

But some totally fabricated unknown potentially damaging chemical substance such as Aspartame is allowed???

Someone get the tar and feathers.
I'll get the rope.

Originally posted by Goatar
reply to post by rogerstigers

 

It is now in stores; Publix carries it near the other sugars. They have it boxed as Truvia, Stevia, Stevia in the raw... The fda allowed it to be grown and sold in the US in late 2009.

Yes, I officially stand humbled and corrected. I was at a grocery store today (Sprouts Farmer's Market) and saw a container of "Stevia sweetener" on the shelf. My information was outdated and incorrect. I apologize for the confusion.