Tag: Stevia leaves

While purified stevia extract is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, the whole leaf version has not received the same approval due to insufficient safety information. Concerns surrounding stevia leaves often involve potential digestive issues, allergic reactions, and interactions with certain medications, though many risks are associated with less-refined versions or added ingredients.

While indigenous populations have chewed stevia leaves for centuries, modern food safety bodies like the FDA have not approved whole-leaf stevia for direct consumption. The debate revolves around the unpurified components of the raw leaf versus the highly refined steviol glycosides found in commercial products.

Despite being a popular plant-based sweetener source, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved whole-leaf stevia for consumption, only its highly purified extracts. This leads to a critical question: is it safe to eat raw stevia leaves? Here’s what the science says.

Native to South America, the leaves of the stevia plant contain sweet-tasting compounds called steviol glycosides, which are up to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. This natural, zero-calorie sweetener can be used in a variety of culinary applications, making it a popular choice for those looking to reduce their sugar intake. From fresh leaves in a morning smoothie to a homemade liquid extract for beverages, stevia offers a versatile way to add sweetness to your life.

In South America, indigenous communities have used stevia leaves to sweeten food and drink for hundreds of years. While the purified extract from the stevia plant is widely available and approved as safe by regulatory bodies, the question of whether raw, unprocessed leaves are safe to consume directly is more complex. The journey from a green leaf to a white powder involves significant processing that removes potentially harmful compounds, a detail that many home gardeners overlook.