What is Another Word for Stevia? Exploring Alternatives and Synonyms

December 15, 2025 •

4 min read

The stevia plant, known scientifically as Stevia rebaudiana, is a perennial herb native to parts of Brazil and Paraguay and has been used as a sweetener for centuries. However, when asking what is another word for stevia, the answer depends on whether you're referring to its botanical names, its compounds, or its brand names.

Quick Summary

This guide explores the many names for stevia, including its botanical aliases like sweetleaf and sweet herb of Paraguay. It delves into the various steviol glycoside compounds responsible for its sweetness and lists common brand names. The article also provides a comparison of stevia with other natural and artificial sweeteners.

Key Points

Botanical Synonyms: Stevia is scientifically known as Stevia rebaudiana and colloquially as sweetleaf, sugarleaf, or sweet herb.
Sweet Compounds: The intense sweetness in stevia products comes from extracted steviol glycosides, primarily stevioside and rebaudioside A (Reb-A).
Branded Products: Stevia is sold under brand names like Truvia, Pure Via, and SweetLeaf, often blended with other fillers or sweeteners.
Natural Alternatives: Other natural, zero-calorie sweeteners like monk fruit extract offer a taste that some prefer over stevia's unique aftertaste.
Safety Profile: Purified stevia extracts are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA, with extensive research supporting its use.
Consider Your Needs: The best alternative depends on personal factors, including desired taste, dietary restrictions (like keto or paleo), and aversion to artificial ingredients.

Stevia's Botanical and Compound-Based Names

Beyond its common name, stevia has several other labels that point to its origins or chemical makeup. The botanical name for the plant is Stevia rebaudiana. In its native regions, it is known by indigenous names like ka'a he'ẽ (sweet herb) by the Guaraní people. Other common descriptive names include:

Sweetleaf: A simple, descriptive name referencing the leaves from which the sweetener is derived.
Sugarleaf: Another name that highlights the plant's use as a natural sugar substitute.
Candyleaf: This name also points to the sweet taste of the plant's leaves.

When you see a stevia product, you are actually consuming isolated compounds from the leaf, known as steviol glycosides. The most common of these sweet compounds are stevioside and rebaudioside A, often abbreviated as Reb-A. High-purity stevia extracts contain at least 95% steviol glycosides.

Commercial Brand Names and Formulations

In the marketplace, stevia is often sold under various brand names, frequently blended with other ingredients to improve its taste profile and functionality. The specific brand name can serve as a substitute for the general term "stevia." Some popular examples include:

List of Popular Stevia Brands

Truvia: Often formulated with erythritol, this is one of the most widely recognized stevia-based sweeteners.
Pure Via: This product typically uses stevia extract alongside ingredients like dextrose or cellulose powder.
SweetLeaf: Marketed as a natural sweetener, SweetLeaf offers various forms of stevia, sometimes with inulin as a filler.
Stevia in the Raw: Another common tabletop sweetener brand, sometimes combined with dextrose.
Pyure: An organic, stevia-based sweetener that comes in both granular and liquid forms.

Stevia vs. Other Sweeteners: A Comparison

For those seeking alternatives, it's helpful to compare stevia with other common natural and artificial sweeteners. The table below outlines key differences.


Feature	Stevia (Purified Extract)	Monk Fruit	Sucralose (Splenda)	Erythritol
Origin	Natural plant extract (Stevia rebaudiana).	Natural fruit extract from monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii).	Artificial, derived from sugar through a chemical process.	Sugar alcohol, can be natural or artificially produced.
Calories	Zero calories.	Zero calories.	Zero calories.	Nearly zero calories, though technically contains some.
Aftertaste	Can have a licorice-like or slightly bitter aftertaste in some products.	Minimal to no aftertaste reported by most users.	Some people report a chemical or metallic aftertaste.	Cool, minty aftertaste in larger amounts.
Sweetness	200–400 times sweeter than sugar.	100–250 times sweeter than sugar.	Up to 600 times sweeter than sugar.	About 60–80% the sweetness of sugar.
Glycemic Impact	No impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.	No impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.	No impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.	No impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.
Baking	Can be used, but doesn't brown or caramelize like sugar. May need additional bulk.	Suitable for baking, stable at high temperatures.	Heat-stable, but some report flavor loss in baking.	Good for baking, adds bulk, and has a similar texture to sugar.

How to Choose Your Stevia Alternative

When choosing an alternative to stevia, consider your specific needs and preferences. If you prefer natural origin sweeteners, both monk fruit and stevia are good options, though their aftertastes differ significantly. For those focused purely on calorie reduction, zero-calorie options like sucralose and erythritol are available, but they are not derived from plants in the same way as stevia.

Monk Fruit vs. Stevia

Monk fruit extract, like stevia, is a natural, calorie-free sweetener. The key difference lies in the flavor profile. Monk fruit is often praised for its clean sweetness without the distinctive aftertaste that some perceive in stevia. However, both are considered safe by the FDA and can be used in similar applications, such as sweetening beverages and baking.

Artificial Sweeteners: Considerations

Options like sucralose (Splenda) are widely used, but they are chemically manufactured. While approved as safe by regulatory bodies, consumer preference for natural-origin products has driven the popularity of stevia and monk fruit. Some studies have also explored potential links between artificial sweeteners and health risks, though these findings are often inconclusive or debated.

Conclusion: Navigating the Sweetener Landscape

In conclusion, "another word for stevia" can range from its botanical name, Stevia rebaudiana, and indigenous terms like sweet herb, to the specific chemical compounds like rebaudioside A, and even branded product names like Truvia. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify what you are actually consuming. When selecting a sugar alternative, comparing stevia with other options like monk fruit or artificial sweeteners based on origin, taste, and use is crucial. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your personal taste preferences and dietary goals, but both stevia and monk fruit offer effective, natural, zero-calorie options for sweetening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stevia comes from the plant species Stevia rebaudiana, a small, shrubby plant native to South America.

A popular natural alternative is monk fruit extract, which is also a zero-calorie sweetener derived from a plant and has a taste profile that some prefer over stevia.

No, rebaudioside is one of the specific steviol glycoside compounds extracted from the stevia plant. High-purity stevia sweeteners are composed of these glycosides, including rebaudioside A.

Some people report a slight licorice-like or bitter aftertaste with stevia, especially in higher concentrations. This can vary between different stevia products and individuals' taste buds.

No, purified stevia extracts are considered a natural-origin, non-nutritive sweetener, as they are derived directly from the leaves of the stevia plant, unlike artificial sweeteners that are chemically manufactured.

Truvia is a brand name for a sweetener that uses stevia leaf extract, often blended with other ingredients like erythritol.

Yes, purified stevia extracts are generally considered safe for people with diabetes, as they do not impact blood glucose or insulin levels.