Just started reading about this. Figured I'd share some info I found.


Stevia- Sweetleaf

"With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets."
"For centuries, the Guaraní tribes of Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil used stevia, which they called ka'a he'ê ("sweet herb" ), as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments. More recent medical research has shown promise in treating obesity and hypertension."
"Possible treatment of osteoporosis has been suggested by the patent application claim that eggshell breakage can be reduced by 75% by adding a small percentage of stevia leaf powder to chicken feed. It has also been suggested that pigs fed stevia extract had twice as much calcium content in their meat, but these claims have been unverified."

Diabetic information:
"Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets."
"Other studies have shown stevia to improve insulin sensitivity in rats and possibly even to promote additional insulin production, helping to reverse diabetes and metabolic syndrome."
"Similarly, stevia leaves have been used for centuries in South America spanning multiple generations in ethnomedical tradition as a treatment for type II diabetes."
"Furthermore, the report noted that 'stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or withtype-2 diabetes'"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

"In all of its forms, most experts agree one day Stevia will be regarded as one of the best and certainly the most "good for you" sweetener on earth."

"Stevia in powdered leaf form is not as sweet as the concentrated form but still as much as 30 times sweeter then sugar. (stevia in the white powder form does not retain all of the medicinal properties as in leaf form) 1 1/2-2 tablespoons of powdered leaf is equal to 1 cup of sugar."
http://www.stevianow.com/how_to_use_stevia.html


Check out the chart here:
http://www.steviainfo.com/?page=comparing

I've got me a fair bit of Stevia that I use to sweeten my yerba.

I find it's really good for sweetening things slightly, but if the flavour becomes too intense, it's a bit weird. It doesn't seem to fit very well if I use it to sweeten a regular tea with milk, but is quite nice in black coffee

I saw the title and thought you were asking for recommendations, so I clicked to recommend Stevia. It has a bit of a funky side taste to me, but apparently many folks like it. I'm a big fan of Blue Agave Nectar, you can get it in co-ops. It's very tasty and much healthier than refined sugar. It also dissolves in cold liquids so you don't have to heat it up like you do with honey.

PsilocybeChild

Stevia is amazing, I hope to have a regular supply of it on hand in the near future so that I can completely replace brown sugar. Stevia is really yummy. :b


Much Peace and Happiness

I've also used this many times in my teas. That or honey.
I also steep some Goji berries, Acai berries, ect. in it for extra natural flavoring.

I now have enough Stevia leaf to completely replace my brown sugar intake no more brown sugar for me, Happy Days.


Much Peace and Sunshine