Sweet News for Candy Lovers

I have recently discovered a new way to sweeten life up a little... and stay true to the home herbalist lifestyle. The herb is called stevia and it is a leafy green that is reported to be over 3000 times sweeter than sugar. It can be found in green powder form, white powder (the green powder with the green bleached out), liquid and plain dried herb.

I add stevia to tea, hot and cold, and have found many useful recipes that include stevia as the sweetener. My only advice: Don't use green powder in dishes where it will be visable. Do try baking it into chocolate cakes or other dishes where the color will be masked. Don't add stevia to soft drink mixes like Kool-Aid. It tends to react with the artificial flavoring, making a strange undertaste. Do add it to teas one glass at a time to ensure that it is mixed thourally into the drink.

I hope to have an article on stevia in the future. Until then, see if you can find it with the herbal supplements or in whole foods stores. Give it a try, and feel free to send me your comments!