BetterStevia Zero Calorie Sweetener French Vanilla Flavor - 75 Packet(s) NOW Foods

NOW Foods - BetterStevia Zero Calorie Sweetener French Vanilla Flavor - 75 Packet(s)

NOW Foods BetterStevia Zero Calorie Sweetener French Vanilla Flavor (formerly Stevia Extract) is a zero-calorie, low glycemic, 100% natural sweetener that makes a perfectly healthy substitute for table sugar and artificial sweeteners. Unlike chemical sweeteners, NOW BetterStevia contains pure Stevia extract; easily-utilized by the body and metabolized in the same way nutrients are. With a taste that is naturally 60-100 times sweeter than refined sugar, a tiny amount is all it takes to sweeten your favorite beverages, foods and desserts! Not all Stevia is the same, though. NOW Foods takes special measures to preserve Stevia's natural qualities to make theirs the best-tasting, purest Stevia available.

NOW BetterStevia utilizes the whole leaf extract to retain the pure sweetness in real Stevia, as opposed to other products containing only isolated fractions such as Reb A. NOW treats their Stevia with a special enzymatic process that results in a clean, superior tasting sweetener. Their attention to quality guarantees freshness in every serving and gives BetterStevia a well-rounded sweet taste that is very close to that of pure sugar, without the calories or guilt. That's why NOW's Stevia is called BetterStevia. Try it today and see how sweet it is.

NOW Foods BetterStevia French Vanilla Features:

• Zero Calorie Sweetener
• Saccharin-Free
• Aspartame-Free
• No Bitter Aftertaste
• Gluten Free
• Sugar Free
• Low Glycemic
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• Keto Friendly

What is Stevia rebaudiana?
Stevia is a small perennial plant native to Central and South America with a long and storied history. Stevia is an herb indigenous to Paraguay and Brazil that grows 2-3 feet tall and resembles mint in appearance. The Spanish conquistadors are credited with Stevia's initial discovery during their sixteenth century exploration of Central America. They reported that the natives used the leaves of this herb to counteract the bitter taste of a popular community drink, mate, and also used it as an herbal remedy for various ailments. The South American native Guarani Indians used this green "sweet herb" they called "kaa he-he" for centuries before a European botanist named M.S. Bertoni first learned of this unique plant from the native guides while exploring Paraguay in 1887.

Though prior to the early 1900s Stevia was a plant harvested in the wild it soon thereafter was being grown in abundance on plantations. Sometime between 1918 and 1921 the USDA was introduced to this wonderfully sweet herb but because of political and other interests Stevia was not accepted as a natural sweetener. The compounds in Stevia that give the herb its sweet taste called Steviosides were isolated by French scientists in 1931. Since the 1970s Japan has approved and used Stevia extracts as a sweetener in everything from ice cream to soft drinks.

Today, Stevia is cultivated in over a dozen countries worldwide. It is a major export product and is widely used in countries such as China, Brazil, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Paraguay and Malaysia. Stevia has also been grown successfully in California, southern Ontario, Canada and even southern England. Although there are several different species of Stevia, the most potent and effective seems to be Stevia rebaudiana, and this species is used in most dietary supplements on the market today.

How is NOW's Stevia produced?
NOW's stevia extract is produced utilizing a patent-pending process which involves extracting from stevia leaves using only water and alcohol. The resulting extract is treated with a vegetarian-source enzyme (glucosyl transferase) to reduce the licorice-like aftertaste of regular stevia extracts. The following are not used and not allowed: pesticides, fumigants, irradiation, other solvents, sulfur dioxide. There are no carriers or flow agents added to the extract other than what we claim on the label. The resulting extract contains no less than 80% Glucosylsteviosides as measured by HPLC testing.

The Stevia Glycerite liquid is now much thicker than it was. Why?
NOW's stevia extract is produced utilizing a patented process which involves extracting from stevia leaves using only water and alcohol. The resulting extract is treated with a vegetarian-source enzyme (glucosyl transferase) to reduce the licorice-like aftertaste of regular stevia extracts. The following are not used and not allowed: pesticides, fumigants, irradiation, other solvents, sulfur dioxide. There are no carriers or flow agents added to the extract other than what NOW claims on the label. The resulting extract contains no less than 80% Glucosylsteviosides as measured by HPLC testing.

Should I be concerned that my Stevia Liquid Extract has become cloudy?
Stevia should not be cloudy and it is very rare for this to occur. This usually will occur due to some kind contamination:

1. Introduction of another interacting substance
2. Bacterial growth due to alcohol evaporation.