Stevia

When I was still taking a bunch of pharmaceuticals, I began to notice that I was lacking energy and gaining weight. Oh, yuck! So, in spite of the pain I was in I began pushing myself to exercise and resolved to eliminate sugar from my diet in an effort to get things under control. Although I have abandoned many of the pharmaceuticals such as the NSAIDS, steroids, pain killers and antidepressants, I still practice sugar limitations. When looking for an alternative to refined sugar to satisfy my sweet tooth, I began studying stevia. I will not say that I know everything, but I will say that the commercial extract which I began using was indeed satisfying, and that I believe stevia extracts to be the most non harmful alternative sweetener available. I also decided that I really wanted to grow my own and make use of the raw plant rather than be dependant on a processed extract, because it has several alleged health benefits that I wanted to test. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/stevia-plant.html, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-682-STEVIA.aspx?activeIngredientId=682&activeIngredientName=STEVIA These are only two of many sources for information regarding this plant and by no means all of the ones that I have studied. Of course, all of the conditions which stevia might alleviate don't apply to me such as high blood pressure or diabetes, but I have suffered idiopathic pedal and lower leg edema upon occasion and figure a little stevia probably won't do anything seriously negative to my body. Fortunately several stores actually had live plants for sale this spring, so I bought one. I thought the rascal was going to die before the rains set in this exceptionally wet summer, and only picked a little here and there. Then, funny enough this plant took off and I have a fairly good supply now. Toward the end of summer, I just let it take off and bloom which resulted in smaller leaves and pleased bees.

Now I have plenty of dried whole stevia for my chai and other herbal teas. I'll let you know how it goes for me regarding any health benefits or non benefits as time goes on.