Can stevia be used in cooking and baking?
Yes. Industrial research in Japan has shown that Stevia extracts are extremely heat stable in a variety of everyday cooking and baking situations. It can be used in boiling, baking and frying where temperatures may reach over 200C, unlike most synthetic sweeteners which start to disintegrate at 30-40C. However, it does not caramelize or brown as sugar does. Stevia extracts have been used in food and beverage products for more than three decades.
Absolutely! Industrial research in Japan has shown that Stevia and Stevioside extracts are extremely heat stable in a variety of everyday cooking and baking situations. Q) Does Stevia contain vitamins and minerals? A) Raw herbal Stevia contains nearly one hundred identified phytonutrients and volatile oils, including trace amounts of Rutin (from the Callus) and B-Sitosterol (from the leaves). However, in the quantities typically consumed, the nutritive benefits will be negligible. The extracts of Stevia, being more refined, will contain far fewer of these phytonutrients and volatile oils. Q) How are Stevia extracts prepared? A) Extracts of Stevia leaves can be prepared by a number of methods some of which are patented. One researcher states: “Production of Stevioside involves water extraction from the dried leaves, followed by clarification and crystalization processes. Most commercial processes consist of water extraction, decoloration, and purification using ion-exchange resins, elec
