Stevia herb - Latin Name: (Stevia rebaudiana bertoni)

Herbal Anecdote: During the 80`s Stevia enjoyed popularity as a natural sweetener in a variety of products. In 1986 the FDA(United States Food and Drug Administration) abruptly seized Stevia inventories and in 1991 claimed it was not suitable as a food additive and it was banned. You see Stevia is natural and therefore unpatentable and a major threat to the then monopolizing and controversial ASPARTAME (artificial sweetener)

Traditional Uses: Stevia has also been known to possess herbal properties and was used by South American Indians for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. Here is a list of some of the possible medicinal uses: Diabetes, Obesity, Hyperactivity, High blood pressure, Carbohydrate cravings, Tobacco and alcohol cravings, Hypoglycemia, Indigestion, Yeast infections, Skin toning and Healing.