Here I am with this question again....

I've tried packaged stevia and can't handle the aftertaste - it has a bitter, almost medicinal taste to it.

I'm wondering if stevia right off of the plant has the same taste? I really hate depending on artificial sweeteners in my coffee, and I won't use sugar. Coffee is about the only place I use it.

Sheryl, I've grown Stevia for at least 12 years now, possibly more if I go back and check my records.

Some plants will have a higher sugar content than others; sometimes this is dependent on environmental factors and sometimes on the plant. I do lots of cuttings and it seems cuttings from a plant that is low in sugar content pass along that trait.

Some of my customers say the leaves are "too sweet", others, like my daughter, could graze on it all day long! :>) You can regulate the sweetness to your liking though by making a decoction with them; just putting the leaves in your cup of coffee isn't enough to give you any benefits.

Hope this helps.
Shoe
(Beautiful plants, aren't they?)

Thanks for the info, Shoe! They *are* cool plants - wish you lived a little closer!

You're right on both counts, Tee - but that was mainly about propagating them, as opposed to the taste test.

Shoe, have you ever had any of the packaged type?

Can't say I've bought any packaged type but think I've tasted it (dipped finger) from a friend once. I know what you mean about the bitter taste; I think all the artificial sweeteners also taste like that (Sweet n' Low, Saccharin, etc).

The leaves of Stevia will sometimes have that extra sweet-bordering-on-"bitter" when eaten directly. Making a decoction and diluting it to your liking won't be that way though.

In the spring, if you remind me, I'll send you a plant to try.

Shoe (off to gather eggs, bring in the firewood, and cook fish for supper. Back later!)

Busy man, lol!

Oops, meant this thread. Butting out now.

The thread "Do you have a favorite Sun Tea recipe using fresh herbs?" in Herbs forum

Oh Yeah - that's the thread I remembered, too. Glad you brought it back up, now I remember Bit bits recipe.

I made banana bread last night with a larger-than-normal-dose of bananas and three paks of the Stevia (I have a lot, I might as well use it up *sigh*). Either the equivalency that I found on line wasn't quite right or my particular brand uses some kind of filler; it definitely needed more, for typical banana bread.

It was suggested on the site I saw that the aftertaste was usually a factor of using too much - evidently it's somewhat stronger than your usual sweetener or sugar.

Stevia is much sweeter/stronger than artificial sweetener or sugar. Truvia is the best commercial powdered one I've found. It's mixed with sugar. PureVia powder is almost bitter. I like the NOW brand of liquid stevia. They changed the base a couple years ago and I don't care for the new one as well. I haven't bought any since the powdered became popular and easily found.

Truvia is mixed with sugar? They really should put that on their packaging; both my DH and mom are diabetic. Not cool....

I don't believe it has sugar in it. From their website http://truvia.com/news/media-r...

One packet of Truvia® natural sweetener provides the same sweetness as two teaspoons of sugar. Truvia® natural sweetener is suitable for people with diabetes. The product is kosher certified (Parve circle U)

Thanks, Pod - I never got around to actually Googling it.