A lot of people today are leaning towards healthier and low-calorie diets. And we all know the first rule of dieting for the sake of losing weight – cut sugar and sugary drinks out of your menu completely. However, this might be very hard at first, so you might be looking for something to sweeten your life a bit. Here’s a suggestion – stevia water flavor drops. It’s the most popular sweetener that can be used in both water and meals.
Stevia water flavor drops are healthier than chemically processed artificial sweeteners. Stevia comes from the same family as marigolds and lettuce and is native to Paraguay’s rain forests. Nowadays however, it can be grown all over the world. Stevia has been used for over a century by the native Indians of Paraguay for medicinal, flavor enhancement and herbal tea purposes.
Its sweetness is highly concentrated – half a teaspoon of stevia has the same sweetness as a cup of sugar. It provides all the sweetness you want, without the calories you don’t need. There are multiple blends of stevia that allow you to use the same amount, just like you would use sugar.
You can use stevia in a few forms: leaves, liquid and powder. Besides not containing calories, it’s also carbohydrate free and has zero glycemic index. It’s also believed to have antiseptic, anti-bacterial and antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, it’s believed to lower blood sugar levels, help in digestion, improve the health of your skin and teeth and help with weight loss. Stevia is also known to help people with diabetes by regulating the blood sugar levels.
It can be a sugar substitute in every instance. When baking, you can use half the amount of sugar that you normally would, if you just use stevia instead. The powder and liquid form are your best options when replacing sugar in baking. Besides baking, stevia is most popularly used in drinks in the form of powder and leaves, especially in water, coffee and tea.
Other useful ways to integrate stevia in your menu is by adding it to iced or hot tea, lemonade, smoothies, oatmeal, jams, jellies, homemade pudding, ice cream, fruit desserts, frosting, etc. A few drops to a tart or savory sauce will make an interesting flavour balance in your cooking. It really depends on what type of dish you want to add stevia to, but generally, it works very well with foods that have bolder flavours, like chocolate, coffee, cheese, berries, sauces, dressings, etc.