Steviaherb

Originally a perennial plant from South America with 2-4 cm large, lanceolate leaves and small white flowers. Now also cultivated as a pot plant. The special feature is the pronounced sweetening power of the leaves, up to 45 times sweeter than sucrose when dried, see also under Stevia.

A distinction must be made between stevia herb and stevia extract. The herb is not approved as a foodstuff in the EU, the leaves may be used as tea, the extract is approved as sweetener E 960.

1. Blaschek W (2015) Wichtl-Teedrogens and phytopharmaceuticals. A handbook for practice. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Munich. S 626-627
2. https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/lebensmittel/gesund-ernaehren/stevia-zuckerfreie-suesse-mit-fraglichem-natuerlichem-image-51999