Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni is a plant native to South America (Paraguay) that is now grown across the globe in tropical and sub-tropical climates. While there are 240 varieties of the stevia plant, the one that provides sweetness for many of today’s stevia-based sweeteners is called the stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant. Stevia leaf extract has been recognized for its zero-calorie sweetness for many years. In fact, the plant has several components that together make up its sweetness. There are many different glycosides—the sweet elements extracted from the leaf—that contribute to the sweet taste in the plant. What many think of as “stevia” can be found as an ingredient (stevia leaf extract) in tabletop sweeteners at local grocery stores. It is important to note that stevia leaf extract is not the same as an actual stevia plant or crude stevia, but is in fact an ingredient used to provide sweetness for many stevia-based sweeteners. 

Stevia leaf extract comes from the leaves of the stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant—more commonly known as “stevia”. Stevia has been a source of high-intensity sweetness for centuries, though the sweetness produced in the early years was often inconsistent and contained stray flavors. The stevia plant grows best in tropical and sup-tropical climates. 

Stevia plants tend to be grown on small farms in Asia, South America or other tropical/sub-tropical climates. To extract the plant’s intense sweetness, stevia leaves are harvested and dried. The leaves are then steeped in hot water. After multiple stages of filtering and centrifuging to concentrate the sweetest components of the leaf, the resulting purified stevia leaf extract is ready to be sold commercially. Stevia leaf extract is comprised of steviol glycosides, which are the sweet-tasting parts of the leaves.