Stevia, also known as stevioside, stevioin or stevia extract, has the chemical formula C38H60O18. It is a natural sweetener extracted from Stevia Rebaudia, a plant of the Asteraceae family (known as sweet leaf chrysanthemum in China). It usually appears in the form of white to slightly yellow crystalline powder or granules, with a cool sweet taste. In recent years, it has attracted much attention in the fields of food processing and health.
Stevia, a plant native to Paraguay and Brazil in South America, is rich in stevia in its roots, stems, leaves and other parts, especially the content in its leaves ranks first. As early as 1931, French scientists had successfully extracted the unique sweetness of stevia from it. With the arrival of the middle and late 20th century, stevia was widely introduced to all over the world due to its economic value and medicinal effects.
