300 times sweeter than sucrose, no calories? Revealing the power of stevia that is rewriting the food industry

In our quest for healthy eating, a natural sweetener discovered in South American wild plants is quietly transforming our taste buds and bodies. With 300 times the sweetness of sucrose yet virtually zero calories, it's a boon for diabetics and weight management enthusiasts alike.

Steviosides are derived from the natural plant stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni), a perennial herb native to Paraguay, South America. The leaves of this plant contain one of nature's most intensely sweet components. Notably, steviosides are not a single compound but a vast family of glycosides, with over 70 distinct varieties identified to date. The primary components are steviol glycosides (Stevioside) and Reb A, which collectively account for more than 80% of the total content.

Stevioside is extremely sweet, up to 200-300 times that of sucrose, and almost zero calories, and is known as the world's "third generation of natural zero-calorie healthy sugar source".

In the future, the development of steviol glycosides will be diversified, and the optimal balance between taste and cost can be achieved by combining with other sweeteners. It is of great significance to formulate personalized diet strategies based on individual metabolic status for the prevention of metabolic syndrome.

The next time you taste a zero-sugar food that's still sweet, you'll know it's not just a triumph of technology, but humanity's never-ending quest for health and deliciousness.