Stevia is all the rage right now. actually, it is all the rage in America. In other countries, like Japan, stevia has been available in commercial products since the 1970's. Before you reach for a packet of stevia blend, try to grow yourself a stevia plant and have all the liquid sweetener you can possibly use.
Grow stevia in a pot on your deck if you need to. It isnt fussy. Keep from drying out, and watch it for blooming. I like to pinch off the flowers before they develop. Some growers cut their stevia back multiple time, and others allow the plant to grow huge and harvest it right to the ground. Either way works. I cut as the plant grows, to dry smaller batches at a time. The leaves dry in my dehydrator within a day's time, and they soon pile up in my gallon jar on the pantry shelf.
When buying a stevia plant, pinch off a bit of a leaf and see if you like the flavor. They vary from plant to plant, some having more licorice aftertaste than others.
The powder can be purchased at many health food stores, either in white (purified with filler added) or green(powdered leaves and a sharper licorice taste). You can just make your own liquid stevia at home, though. It is simple to do, and you end up with a container of stevia tea to add by the drop to your drinks.
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