Does anyone know how to use STEVIA in cooking/bakinggreenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread |
I've looked in the archives and done the ctrl F thing and still can't find anything about Stevia and yet I'm sure "I read about it here first". Does anyone have recipes for baking that they might share...cookies, pies, cakes, whatever, that have no sugar or the like in them? I've read that diabetics can eat foods made with Stevia.
-- ikben (ikben@canada.com), March 20, 2002
Hi ikben, Here is a little info on stevia-I've been growing it about three years. Stevia is a semitropical perennial shrub of the daisy family, native to the mountains of Brazil and Paraguay. The people there have used it for many centuries as a sweetener. Stevia first came to the attention of Europeans in the 1800s, yet it remained relatively obscure until it was planted and used in England during the sugar rationing of World War II. Japan took up research into stevia--s potential after the war and remains a major grower of and market for the sweetener. There, it is approved for use in many food products, including cereals, teas, and soft drinks. Stevia is also grown in South America, Canada, Europe, Australia, China, and the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of stevia products in 1991, but three years later approved their sale as -- dietary supplements.-- In FDA jargon, dietary supplements can carry claims of providing health benefits, but they cannot be marketed as conventional foods or food additives. Thus, stevia cannot be sold for use as a tabletop sweetener, which is considered a conventional food, or as a sweetener in teas or other products. Nonetheless, people can buy stevia powder and use it in place of sugar at home. The substances responsible for the plant's sweetness are chemicals called glycosides, primarily one dubbed stevioside, which are concentrated in the leaves. These and other related chemicals are at their peak just before flowering, which is triggered by the shorter days of late summer and early fall. Growing stevia In the wild, the plant grows in infertile, moist, sandy soil near streams and marshes. It reaches a height of about 2 feet (up to 3 feet in cultivation), with many branches and attractive, slightly serrated, opposite leaves. The pretty flowers are tiny and white with a pale purple throat, but they must be pinched off or they will steal sweetness from the leaves. Stevia likes heat and can be grown as a perennial in frost-free areas. Elsewhere, the best approach is to treat it as an annual herb such as basil. For best results, plant stevia in the garden for the summer, harvest the fresh leaves before flowering, and dry them for later use. Transplants can be ordered from a mail-order nursery in the spring and planted in the ground when the soil temperature reaches about 65F. A sandy loam with a slightly acid to neutral pH and good drainage is important. If your soil is heavy clay or otherwise slow- draining, plant in a raised bed or container filled with lightweight soil mix. (Because the stems tend to be brittle, group plants close together so they can help each other withstand winds and rain.) Stevia has a temperamental nature that is often reflected in slow growth when the plants are first set out. After the first month, they pick up speed. They're not picky about fertilizer; any general liquid fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20, applied once a month during the summer will do. Pruning and pinching encourage bushy plants. Always pinch off flowers in order to produce the sweetest leaves. When fall arrives, it's time to harvest the leaves. Pull up the plants in the early morning and remove the leaves, then dry them in the sun for about 24 hours. When crispy dry, the leaves can be stored in a plastic bag or airtight jar. They can be ground easily in a mortar and pestle or in an electric spice or coffee grinder. One way to extend the harvest of sweet leaves is to overwinter garden plants indoors, or order stevia plants in the fall and grow them inside until spring. Pot them in a lightweight soil mix and keep them in a 70F room. If you like to experiment, you can make your own cuttings from outdoor plants during the summer. Three-inch tip cuttings dipped in rooting hormone will root in sand if misted frequently. Stevia cuttings can also be rooted in water. Grow lights are essential to keeping stevia plants happy indoors. Even under ideal conditions, it's not uncommon for plants to die suddenly or to lose leaves and appear dead, but as long as the roots are alive, they may regrow. Cooking with stevia One fresh stevia leaf is enough to sweeten a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of lemonade. Or add the leaves to baked beans, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, soups, and stews. Unlike some other sugar substitutes, stevia is stable when heated, so the powder can be used in baking. However, this requires a willingness to experiment. Much less stevia powder is needed for the same level of sweetness provided by sugar, but sugar also adds volume, so liquid and dry ingredients will need to be adjusted. Estimates vary widely because of natural variation in the plant, but figure that between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon of dried, ground stevia leaves equals about 1 cup of sugar. A sweetener and more The Japanese have been using stevia to sweeten products since the 1970s, and plant extracts are now found in candy, ice cream, pickles, soft drinks, teas, and other foods. The herb also had great potential for use in this country a decade ago. Major food companies such as Thomas J. Lipton and Celestial Seasonings were developing products containing stevia. Those efforts screeched to a halt when the FDA temporarily banned the importation of stevia products in 1991. In Canada, where stevia can be sold as an ingredient in tea but not as a sweetener, the government agency Agriculture Canada is researching stevia as a potential crop. Canadian and U.S. companies marketing stevia are finding a fast-growing Asian market for the extracts. Stevia is also purported to do more than sweeten foods. It's touted as helping to fight tooth decay and gum disease by inhibiting bacterial growth. It has been investigated as a blood sugar regulator for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. Because stevia contains virtually no calories, it could have potential for use in weight-loss diets.
-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), March 20, 2002.
Ikben, email me, I have "THE STEVIA COOKBOOK".
-- Sheila in NC (nannie@intrstar.net), March 20, 2002.
Daryll: Wow! You certainly have given us a wealth of valuable info..it's going into my "favorites" file. I have stevia (obtained in health food store & costs alot) but have had trouble determining the correct amount to use..it always comes out TOO SWEET! Do you have an address where one might purchase seeds? Thanks so much. Layne Cosgrove (NY)
-- Layne Cosgrove (adirondackwoman@westelcom.com), March 21, 2002.