Story Title: Stevia
Episode: 5
Broadcast Date: 20th April 2013
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Trevor looks at the history behind a fantastic herb and why you need it in your garden

Stevia Facts

• One of the first legislations that George W Bush introduced after his inauguration as the 43rd president of the USA was to declare stevia as a narcotic
• Texas the home state of George Bush is the USA's largest producer of sugar as a result of sugar cane production
• Stevia is a natural sweetener that has no calories and therefore does not affect blood glucose levels
• It provides people who suffer from diabetes with a natural sweetener
• In Japan stevia makes up 40% of the total sweetener market and after 25 years of using this herb it has not presented any health concerns
• Coca Cola have adopted stevia as a possible sugar alternative for sweetening drinks
• Stevia can be grown easily in our own home gardens – a mature plant will die back to ground level during winter but spring back as the weather warms in summer