General Description: Stevia is a native of South America’s rain forests. It is used as a sweetener in bitter teas like Yerba mate and as a sweetener in other foods. Stevia is low in calories and carbs, making it a good choice for diabetics. It also has no effect on blood sugar. Stevia is rich in magnesium, niacin and potassium. Stevia can be found wild in certain South American regions, including the Amambay district highlands bordering Brazil and Paraguay. The Guarini Indians from Paraguay have used Stevia for over fifteen centuries as a sweetener, and even as medicine. They call it “kaa jhee”. Stevia is used by the Guarini to treat heart disease, excess weight, heartburn, hypertension, and gout. This herb has been used for many years by the Japanese.
Stevia Uses
Stevia is a member of the chrysanthemum familiy. It is a shrub with small leaves that can reach a height of 3-4 feet. Botanists believe that there are over 200 varieties of Stevia native to South America. Stevia rebaudiana is the only one that has this high level of sweetness. It is now commercially grown in several South American countries, including Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, Central America, Israel and Thailand. Stevia has been used in Japan and Brazil for sweetener and food additives over the past 20-years. It is approved in both countries. It is safe, natural, non-caloric, and not harmful to the health of those countries. Japan is the world’s largest consumer of Stevia leaves, and extracts.
They use it to sweeten many food products including pickles, soy sauce, confections, and soft drinks. Stevia is used by giant soda companies that produce food in Japan, Brazil, and in other countries that have approved it for use as a sugar substitute and food additive. The FDA approved Stevia in the United States as a sweetener but not as a food additive. Many Americans believe that this is a political issue. It protects non-caloric sweetener companies and their market share in the food-additive industry. Stevia is all natural, inexpensive, non-patentable, and can be used as a sweetener. It is not being replaced by the “giant”‘s patented, synthetic, and more expensive sweetener products. Stevia is used in the United States for diabetes, hypertension and infection. Disclaimer: Statements in this document have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Any reference to medicinal uses is not intended for the treatment, cure, mitigation, or prevention of any disease.
Medicine of Nature
In the early 1900s, vegetables and fruits were just things to eat. These foods were only considered to satisfy one’s hunger and provide fuel for the body by doctors and others. Despite this, no one knew anything about the healing effects of these substances on our bodies. Humankind began to understand the importance of biochemistry, which was introduced as a topic in medical schools. It revealed that our health and strength did not depend on the food we eat, but on the vital organic or mineral content of these substances. The tomato was poisonous when it was first grown. Even medical professionals considered it to be a cause for cancer. Very few people ate it.
The tomato’s growth into a large and delicious fruit-vegetable meant that the old idea was no longer valid. It was now accepted as a healthy food and a delicacy. The real reason for the tomato’s popularity is not well known. Its richness in organic elements and minerals, containing an average of Potassium. Sodium, Calcium, Phosphorus, and other valuable elements. Swiss Chard is almost as popular as broccoli, once considered a weed and not an herb. It contains Sodium, Potassium and Calcium as well as Phosphorus and other elements that are just as valuable, but less frequently.
Good to know
Celery is perhaps one of the most beloved vegetables. It was once a herb that was great as a tea for nervous people. Like the tomato and the apple celery has evolved from a beloved medicine to a food. Rhubarb was another vegetable that was valued for constipation. Gradually, it was accepted as a good material for delicious pies and as an appetizing condiment. Finally, it was used to make wine. Lettuce is a popular food that was once good for chickens and cattle. It can be prepared in many ways. Beets were once a food for cattle, but because of their attractiveness and appetite, they have gradually become food for men. Onions, which are both beloved and hated by many, are high in Potassium, and Phosphorus. They are ideal for treating colds and other bronchial problems.
All of these vegetables are considered desirable. Practically every mother knew how roast or hake onions were done. Then, squeeze out the juice with honey and give it to her children for colds, coughs, Croup, or Pneumonia. It has not lost any of its virtues. The family doctor was only called as a last resort. This was once considered a fungus that is pure and simple. It was also considered a poison. It is now a popular choice with almost everyone. Its richest ingredient is Iodine, making it the ideal food for those with goitre and under-development. The same value is found in seaweed, also known by many other names such as Irish moss or Irish moss, as well as mushrooms. It is high in Iodine and germ-plasm. A few plant products that are still classified as herbs are next to be considered. White Oak bark was a favorite of early doctors. Potash is one of its mineral elements.
Joint Pain
It was used to treat gout, rheumatism and other sympathetic maladies such as chronic diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, gout and rheumatism. Potash is also found in Broom Herb, the kidney treatment of herbalists. Shave Grass is a favorite kidney remedy and is rich in Silicon and Calcium. Who doesn’t like fruit and fruit juice drinks. Fruits were used to satisfy hunger pangs and as a way to soothe fevers. Also, fruits make delicious wines. These are the facts. Wild cherry juice, fermented or not, was always considered a tonic. This is due to its high levels of Iron Oxide, Potassium Oxide, and Phosphoric acid.
As wild cherries were known to be tonics, so was the blackcurrant juice. It became a valuable remedy for anemia, malnutrition, and general debility. Why? It is high in vitamins, positive alkali, and has a variety of mineral elements. The lowly parsley was once used to add flavor to food. We now know it is rich in Calcium and Iron, Thiamine. Riboflavin. Niacin. Many doctors recognize it as being beneficial in the treatment for high blood pressure. We will return to the topic of herbs and their tinctures, or other preparations. It wasn’t so long ago that their use in medicine was considered a myth. This has changed and many doctors are replacing synthetic and chemical preparations with them.