~mina~
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Do you consider stevia an AS or an herb?do you consider stevia an AS or an herb?
thank you in advance.
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Lauren
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I think if you crush the leaves and use them, I would consider it an herb. In its powdered form, I consider it an AS. I still use it on occasion, hoping it's the lesser of the evils.
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~mina~
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thank you lauren!
does the powdered form have additives like maltodextrin?
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Tracy
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I consider the liquid form a herbal extract, bc that's what it is. :)
The powdered form I have does contain maltodextrin (and inulin). I only use it if I'm out and about - keep packets in my purse, though I rarely use them anymore.
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~mina~
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thanks tracy!
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Lauren
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Tracy,
What brand of liquid stevia do you use? It's so expensive that I've been hesitant to try it since I find some brands of stevia too bitter.
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~mina~
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just so im clear on this..
im not asking this because im trying to replace donuts or something.. im asking because I wonder if people in the past actually used it? i mean we use all kinds of herbs and spices to enhance flavors.. people in certain carnivorous cultures even use berries to enhance the flavors of meat (not that im doing this or anything) so.. is it against carnivory to eat stevia say in liquid form (no additives)?
know what im saying?
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Dean
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Personally, I think the more one gets beyond tasting anything sweet, the easier carnivore eating becomes. The more you crave really fatty animal food, the better off you'll be. Enhancing flavor by using ZC condiments or seasoning, or having toxic treats like coffee and cream, is far better than trying to "have your cake and eat carnivore too". I've seen that mentality derail so many in their quest to rid themselves of all this powerful acculturation. It's like an alcoholic walking by a bar every day, just to remember what it was like. That's no way to change your life.
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~mina~
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tracy: from what im reading the liquid extracts (Steviosides) "merely function as a sweetener and pass through the body undigested, although they do possess anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties".
| Quote: | | The whole stevia leaves contain a number of beneficial compounds, including ascorbic acid, calcium, beta-carotene, chromium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, selenium, silicon, sodium, thiamin, tin and zinc. |
but only the whole leaf.
do you think they made extracts (serious question as I have no idea how would would do this) or just ate the leaves? from what ive read it was definitely used as medicine especially on the skin.
do they sell whole leaf stevia?
ps: again, for clarification, i have no desire to use stevia. i am simply curious and enjoy being engaged in discussion on various topics.
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Dean
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| ~mina~ wrote: | | ps: again, for clarification, i have no desire to use stevia. i am simply curious and enjoy being engaged in discussion on various topics. |
Yah, I know, Mina.  It sounds like you are interested in the medicinal applications of the herb. I was just commenting on the AS aspect. BTW, if they add maltodextrin to the processed stuff (is this right?) then is that what makes it an AS? Now you've got me curious. 
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Susie
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Here's an oddity, here in the UK I can buy stevia plants from the nursery and grow them on in my garden quite legally, yet stevia extract and products are illegal in the UK.
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~mina~
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to be honest, i thought you were criticizing me a bit.. thank you for clarifying not that im sensitive or anything 
| Quote: | | if they add maltodextrin to the processed stuff (is this right?) then is that what makes it an AS? |
dean, i think so. that being said, i dont think the extracts have that in them and yet their only purpose is for sweetening.. although the WP site says they can be used antibacterially (is that a word?)..
curiouser and curiouser as we go down the rabbit hole...
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Dean
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| ~mina~ wrote: | | to be honest, i thought you were criticizing me a bit.. |
Mina, with eyes like yours, that'd be a little difficult, trust me.
J/K. I wasn't and wouldn't.
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~mina~
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which part were you JK about?  
thanks
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Dean
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Well, I wasn't kidding about your eyes! I warned you from the start about using that photo as your avatar. It's sorta hard to concentrate on your posts. I mean, I get sorta distracted. But, in a good way, Mina. 
Anyway, I was just saying that, avatar or no avatar, I wasn't and wouldn't criticize you. You're too sweet for that.
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Tracy
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I have NOW brand stevia, and it's pretty good. I haven't tried any other extracts yet though so have nothing to compare it to. It's lasted me ages. It's just the leaf extract in a base of purified water and alcohol - same as any other medicinal herbal extract. I don't know if you can find any that are alcohol-free. I had herbal drops for my cats that were alcohol free.
You can get the leaves, whole and ground, usually in a HFS that sells bulk stuff.
That's a good question about traditional usage. I've read about its application as a wound dressing and digestive aid. Wonder if they would have included it then as an ingredient in a tea/tisane, steeping it along with other herbs in water? I know Paraguayan aboriginals used it (the leaves) to sweeten mate, and chewed the leaves. I'd guess they didn't make extract from it, but it wouldn't have been impossible to do.
As an aside - I had a friend who used to make extracts of another "sweet leaf" and they were, ummm, very medicinal.
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~mina~
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I get distracted by klondike, too especially since he is winking at me!
| Quote: | | Wonder if they would have included it then as an ingredient in a tea/tisane, steeping it along with other herbs in water? |
yes I wonder this too. i read a post somewhere in which the person said they use whole leaf (very interesting susie btw.. thats what they said too) and just dropped it in a drink or something. they said it was more 'cool' than sweet.. kind of like peppermint.
it seems like it would be very good for us in that form?
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Tracy
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If I can find whole leaf stevia, I'd like to try that. Or the ground leaves, mixed with an herbal tea and steeped. Hmm.
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