28 replies to this topic

[CoM]

I was so excited when I had first learned about the herb Stevia. It is a natural sweetner, 300 times sweeter than sugar. 1 teaspoon is equal to 1 c of sugar so says all the info I have read about it. It has no calories.

I bought a few plants and have just harvested my first batch. If you chew on a leaf you are amazed at how sweet it is.

I am a sugar addict and the thought of having a replacement that is healthy was very exciting to me.

I dried the leaves and ground them very fine and thought I would try it in my beloved iced tea.

OMG was it nasty! It had the same after taste that all artificial sweeteners have though not quite as bad. I was very disappointed.


If anyone has any suggestions please reply. I also have a question about baking with Stevia. Since 1 t = 1 c of sugar would I have to alter my recipes to account for that 1 c of extra bulk that will be missing? Or would it be better to make a liquid with the Stevia and use that as part of the liquid in the recipe?


Thanks

Edited by CoM, 11 July 2009 - 04:47 PM.

[Prickle]

I had a stevia plant too and found it to be yucky.

The only way I find it acceptable is in the processed stuff like Truvia.

It does still have that non-sugar after taste though, but not as strong as other forms. I don't care for it in my coffee but it's fine in cereal and smoothies.

I've never baked with it.

[gulfcoastruth]

Gee I'm glad to see this thread, as I am planning to grow stevia too.

I wonder if once it's dried, you don't need nearly as much. The first time I tried commercial stevia, I thought it was horrid, but found out you only need an itty bitty bit for the sweetness. Maybe the same with dried, home-grown stevia??

I hope there is a way to make it useful!!

[JCK88]

I did a little search on how to make stevia extract and came up with these instructions.

1. Harvest your stevia in the morning when the essential oils peak. You must use stevia grown without pesticides, as the extract-making process concentrates undesirable chemicals. Wash the leaves and stems and remove any brown plant parts.
2. Step 2 Chop the leaves and stems coarsely. You must prepare enough fresh stevia to fill two lightly packed measuring cups.
3. Step 3 Combine the stevia with one cup of clear grain alcohol or vodka. You can use flavor-infused vodkas for variety, such as pear or citrus.
4. Step 4 Leave the stevia mixture steeping overnight in a covered container, but not more than 48 hours. Excessive steeping increases bitterness. Stir or gently shake the mixture several times while it steeps.
5. Step 5 Strain the alcohol and stevia mixture through cheesecloth or coffee filter to remove the plant matter. The mixture should appear greenish.
6. Step 6 Bring the stevia extract to a simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. This evaporates the alcohol and concentrates the extract.
7. Step 7 Store the extract in the refrigerator up to three months. You must dilute the extract to taste before using with water.

I read that using extract is very sweet...much sweeter than just the green leaves dried and powdered. I'm thinking this is what you want...but don't know for sure.

[Violet]

I think stevia is GROSS ! I tried the plant, I have tried different brands of store stuff. Yucky, yucky, yucky is all I can say.

[westbrook]

I have written about stevia on several ocassions .. it is great in beverages like tea or soda but not coffee as it tastes green

the problem using it in cooking is it lacks bulk! so you must reduce the liquid and add flour... yuck!

now the cake tastes floury.

all I can say is give up. Use splenda blend to reduce sugar intake in baking. The after taste....in time you get used to it and don't notice it.

Much like drinking whole milk vs. 2% vs. non-fat ... in time you get used to it.

stevia is not worth the effort to grow. It is cheap to purchase but honestly, sugar is the way to go unless you are diabetic... use splenda and splenda blend.

[PureCajunSunshine]

I am growing my very first stevia plant...It's not very big yet, but as soon as it can 'spare' a few leaves, I'm going to experiment with steeping a few leaves in warm or hot water...and using the sweetened water to sweeten stuff with. Has anyone tried that?

Maybe powdered stevia has too strong of an aftertaste, but the stevia 'tea' might not be so bad...

[CoM]

I will experiment a little more with it and maybe just store it as a last resort. We do have bees & honey as well as a few hundred pounds of sugar stored.

[K_L]

I was so excited when I had first learned about the herb Stevia. It is a natural sweetner, 300 times sweeter than sugar. 1 teaspoon is equal to 1 c of sugar so says all the info I have read about it. It has no calories.

I bought a few plants and have just harvested my first batch. If you chew on a leaf you are amazed at how sweet it is.

I am a sugar addict and the thought of having a replacement that is healthy was very exciting to me.

I dried the leaves and ground them very fine and thought I would try it in my beloved iced tea.

OMG was it nasty! It had the same after taste that all artificial sweeteners have though not quite as bad. I was very disappointed.


If anyone has any suggestions please reply. I also have a question about baking with Stevia. Since 1 t = 1 c of sugar would I have to alter my recipes to account for that 1 c of extra bulk that will be missing? Or would it be better to make a liquid with the Stevia and use that as part of the liquid in the recipe?


Thanks

I hate the stuff, YUK! but a friend talked me into trying something called Agava, it is juice from some kind of a cactus, and I really like it. I have tried it in a lot of recipies and it works great. btw make sure you get the real thing, as some companies mix it with high fructose corn surype. it costs about as much as honey.
K_L

[ChristyK]

.... I'm going to experiment with steeping a few leaves in warm or hot water...and using the sweetened water to sweeten stuff with. Has anyone tried that?

I have heard (just heard, mind you ~ not tried it out myself or actually seen it done) that grinding/chopping and then cooking in a small amount of water could result in a syrupy kind of mixture. A point was made of how you have to really chop/grind up those leaves and stems to release the stevioside (the chemical responsible for the sweetness) into the water. My three plants are a couple of feet tall and doing well, I plan to experiment later in the summer/early fall when they flower ~ everything I've read thus far claims that it the time to harvest for peak sweetness.

In my (admittedly limited ) experience, drying leaves and then steeping didn't work at all.

ETA: that processing in vodkas sounds promising; if I try it I'll be sure to report back.

Edited by ChristyK, 12 July 2009 - 04:05 PM.

[vine]

I, too, am growing my first stevia plants this year. Mine are about 2 ft tall. They bloomed a month or so ago. I was hoping to dry and grind the leaves to use in tea...I wonder if the flavor has something to do with HOW we dry them, or when.

[CoM]

I, too, am growing my first stevia plants this year. Mine are about 2 ft tall. They bloomed a month or so ago. I was hoping to dry and grind the leaves to use in tea...I wonder if the flavor has something to do with HOW we dry them, or when.

You have to harvest the stevia BEFORE they flower.

[DonsCountryGal]

FYI...regarding Splenda:

Sucralose Toxicity Information Center

[kyrsyan]

Nobody in my family can handle Stevia. Doesn't matter how much or how little, we can't get past the aftertaste.

Try agave syrup. We use it for everything except baking. Still haven't found a decent sub for baking.

[vine]

Thank you for the helpful information. I will try again next spring.

[ChristyK]

Well, my stevia finally started to bloom. I took several cuttings from the plants to root and will see if the flowers give any viable seeds. From what I have read, the seeds aren't the way to go ~ but I like to experiment on my own, too.

I never did find a satisfactory way to use the leaves in my tea (or any beverage, for that matter). Hot, cold ~ fresh leaves/dry ~ whoel/shredded ~ doesn't seem to make a difference, it just doesn't do a whole lot for me. But I have discovered that when I pound the dried leaves into powder that it is VERY tasty sprinkled on oatmeal or raisin bran or anything like that! And yes, there is a slight 'herbal-y' tone to the taste ~ but it's not unpleasant, not imho anyway.

[vine]

Christy did you try using some of the leaves that were dried and powdered in your tea? Just wondering...I sure would love to use it as a sweetener...

[ChristyK]

Yes, vine, I did; and it just doesn't dissolve like I think a sweetener ought to. Maybe I'm just spoiled, used to sugar & honey ~ but even powdered,the stevia tends to kind a jang around and makes my tea look murky. Not pleasant, not to me anyway; of course, what is it they say ~ Your mileage may vary?

[vine]

Thank you for the info. I will see if I can get it next spring too and try again. This year everything fried due to the record breaking heat we had for 2 1/2 months straight. It is finally cooling off some, only in the 80s now. Much nicer.

[Andrea]

I also grew Stevia for a few years and found that if I left the root system in the ground, the plant would come back. However, the only way I ever really used it was to dry the leaves and then put the leaves in whole to steep with my iced tea. I would pull the leaf or two out that I used when I pulled out the tea bags. It gave a hint of sweetness to our iced tea and was pretty refreshing. However, stevia is difficult to grow in our climate and the snails seem to really enjoy the stuff! So, I let the stevia go and we've grown accustomed to drinking our tea without sweetener. I am currently growing Angelica though and supposedly the roots are also a good sugar substitute but I'll have to let you know on that in another year or so! It's definitely easier to grow.