Stevia comes from the same family as marigold and lettuce. In addition to providing intense sweetness without calories, the plant is heat-stable to 392 degrees, which means you can cook and bake with it. Experiment with stevia wherever you would normally use sugar and discover why people have used this herb for centuries as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. Read on to learn more.
Instructions
1. Understand that a little goes a long way. Like some artificial sweeteners, stevia has an extremely concentrated sweetness and too much imparts a bitter flavor. One half tsp. of stevia extract provides the same sweetening power as a cup of sugar.
2. Look for stevia blends, which combine stevia powder with a filler to make measuring easier. You can use the blends in the same amount as you would sugar. Manufacturers commonly add maltodextrin, which has no nutritional value or sweetening power.
3. Use stevia to replace only half the sugar called for in baking recipes. Besides providing sweetness, sugar has other benefits in the baking process such as providing desirable browning and a chewy texture.
4. Bake quick breads instead of yeast-risen breads with stevia. Stevia doesn't provide the nutrients that activate yeasts, so yeast breads prepared with stevia don't rise properly.
5. Add the whole stevia leaf to coffee, tea or other beverages in place of sugar. You can use fresh leaves or you can add dried stevia leaves to your favorite loose-leaf tea.
6. Make your own soft drinks by adding stevia extract to soda water and your choice of flavor enhancer. You can approximate lemon-lime soda by adding a citrus twist or add some julienne-cut ginger to a pitcher for homemade ginger ale.
Tags: flavor enhancer, stevia extract, sweetening power, with stevia
