The History and Cultivation of the Stevia Plant

Native to South America and grown in other tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, Stevia is an herb cultivated for its leaves that contains an extract that is exponentially sweeter than sugar. 

Ancient Origins of Stevia

Evidence indicates that Stevia was first used by the Guarani and Mato Grosso Indian tribes who lived in the region of modern-day Paraguay.  For many centuries, these natives utilized the leaves of the Stevia plant as a sweetening agent for various bitter teas, as well as for medicinal concoctions.  In the 1500’s, the Spanish Conquistadors learned of Stevia’s sweetening properties from the Indians.  Over the next few hundred years, the use of Stevia had spread to other parts of South America and Mexico. European travelers were taking a keen interest in the herb and began taking samples of it overseas to learn how to.......read more