Stevia is in the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and is related to lettuce and marigolds. Also known as sweet leaf and sugar leaf. Stevia is a type of plant that has very sweet leaves. These leaves have been used to sweeten drinks and as a sugar substitute.
Stevia extract is natural constituents of the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni . Stevia extract is 250 times sweeter than sucrose, and have the potential to serve as non-caloric sweeteners. Stevia extract is already in use as a food sweetener in a number of South American and Asian countries. Several studies have reported hypoglycemic and hyotensive effects of stevioside and Stevia extracts.