Did you know studies have linked sugar with obesity, diabetes and heart disease? Sugar may also contribute to candidiasis (an infection caused by yeast-like fungi), suppress the body's immune system and aggravate some types of asthma, allergies, and arthritis. To learn more about what sugar may do to your body please visit www.rheumatic.org/sugar.htm.

Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and Splenda have been reported to contribute to certain forms of cancer, cause headaches and may even inhibit weight loss!

Now imagine an all natural product that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose), has no calories, no carbohydrates and is perfectly healthy. Does such a product exist? The answer is yes. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a herb indigenous to the valley of Rio Monday in North Eastern Paraguay. It has been used as a sweetener for approximately 1500 years in parts of South America and has become a popular sweetener in many Asian countries. In fact, in Japan where aspartame has been banned because of health concerns, stevia is now widely used as a sweetener in products like gum, soda and ice cream. Stevia is the #1 sweetening agent in Japan accounting for approximately 50% of the sweetener market share. Interestingly, Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world (World Health Organization, 2005). In North America and Europe, the decline of consumers' health and the subsequent movement towards more natural foods has created a great deal of public interest in stevia.

The sweetness of stevia is found in the leaves. There are four sweetening agents in stevia called "steviol glycosides". They are stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside C and dulcoside C. Stevioside is the most plentiful of the sweetening agents but carries the bitterest flavour. Rebaudioside A is equally sweet but does not carry the same bitterness as stevioside. Rebaudioside A is used in Krisda brand stevia.

On the market, stevia is available in several forms; the less refined being the most nutritious. It can be purchased in dried leaf form, stevia leaf powder, tea or as a liquid tincture extract and concentrate. The leaves and powder are light to medium green and are not water-soluble. Stevia in this form is approximately 15 to 30 times sweeter than common table sugar (sucrose). The liquid forms made from the whole leaf are very dark in color (dark brown to almost black) and come in different purities and strengths depending on the type and manufacturer. Blended stevia is also available. Blended stevia contain primary ingredients such as maltodextrin, inulin fiber or erythritol.

The refined forms of stevia come in a white powder or a clear extract. Like any refined product they do not retain all of the health benefits of the unrefined products. Refined stevia is generally 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The refined stevia extracts are safe and far superior to artificial sweeteners or sugar.

The production cost of stevia is still exceedingly high compared to sugar and artificial sweeteners. However, given the significant health benefits of stevia there is little doubt that stevia and products sweetened with stevia will gain in popularity. Group Krisda - Stevia of Canada is dedicated to delivering consumers the benefits of stevia by 1) working to reduce stevia production costs, 2) develop great tasting, healthy and high quality stevia products, and 3) by improving the availability and visibility of stevia in retail outlets.