Stevia: How to Reduce Bitterness & Use Effectively in Recipes

Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the stevia plant. It is calorie free and doesn't have any side effects like some artificial sweeteners. Stevia works in almost all recipes because it doesn't degrade with heat or with acidic foods. Stevia has a very concentrated sweetness so only a small amount is needed. Different brands of stevia have slightly different tastes, depending on the plants used. The main variation is the amount of bitter aftertaste stevia produces. Some stevia has no aftertaste while other brands have a noticeable aftertaste. When using stevia in drinks like coffee and tea, add stevia one drop at a time and taste it between drops. If there is an aftertaste, reduce the amount of drops next time.

Instructions

• 1

  Use 1/2 tsp. of powdered stevia to replace 2 tsp. of sugar. Use 1 1/2 tsp. of stevia to replace 1 cup of sugar in recipes.

• 2

  Measure 1/4 tsp. of liquid stevia for every 2 tsp. of sugar. Replace 1 cup of sugar with 1 1/2 tsp. of liquid stevia.

• 3

  Reduce the stevia by 30 percent if the brand of stevia has less than 90 percent steviosides. The steviosides are what make it sweeter with less bitter aftertaste. Read the label to find out what percentage of steviosides are in the product.