The next-generation Sugar

Stevia having it’s scientific name stevia rebaudiana bertoni is a perennial herb known for its sweetness worldwide. It is primarily an industrial crop used to produce stevia-sugar(or sweetener), a natural sweetener and a healthy alternative to regular sugar and artificial sweeteners. Stevia-sugar is industrially produced from dry stevia leaves by Extraction and Refining of dry stevia leaves to get stevia-sugar/sweetener, commonly known as high intensity sweetener(HIS) and is about 250-350 times sweeter than regular sugar.

The global stevia-sugar market is growing at a CAGR of 10-15% depending on the region. Japan having replaced about 40% of its sugar consumption with stevia, & globally stevia sugar expected to replace 20% sugar in the next 15-20 years. Food & Beverages industry in Europe & USA too are showing similar trends in reducing sugar consumption & replacing with this healthy and safe natural alternative

Stevia sweetener is becoming a major Food Ingredient world-wide. Stevia is unique because it’s most valued for what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t add calories & is derived from a plant unlike other sugar substitutes. The active compounds of stevia are steviol glycosides, which has up-to 200-300 times the sweetness of sugar, are heat & pH-stable. This sugar has a negligible effect on blood glucose, which makes stevia attractive & unique.

Sugar consumption, especially from sugary drinks, sweets, confectioneries, etc. is the single largest contributor to the global epidemic of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Although several artificial sugar substitutes are available such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose & cyclamates, etc., however many of them have critical concerns over the safety of health. A healthier alternative is stevia-sugar which can replace sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Is there a need?

  • Estimated Diabetes & Pre-diabetes in India is 7.3% & 10.3%, i.e. a total of about 18% population, which is estimated to double by 2025.
  • The estimated figures for Obesity & Hypertension vary a lot, but some estimations say more than 30%, especially in urban India

Some History

Almost 1500 years back, this plant has been used as a sweetener in tea to counteract the bitter taste by the Paraguayans. It has also been used as an herbal remedy for various ailments. During world war II, England started to examine stevia as a substitute for sugar. In the 1970s Japanese started to use stevia to replace the banned artificial sweetener, saccharin.


Stevia is approved as a sweetener and food additive in over 130 countries Stevia’s approval as a sweetener was governed by five major food authorities across the world which include:

  • US Food and Drug Administration [USFDA]
  • Europe Food Safety Authority [EFSA
  • Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives [JECFA]
  • Flavours Extracts Manufacturers association [FEMA]
  • Food Safety and Standard Authority of India [FSSAI]

Currently, the stevia plant is grown in various nations around the world for its commercial use including China, Vietnam, Brazil, South America, African countries, South Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, Colombia, etc.

Application

Steviol Glycosides being 250-350 times sweeter than cane-sugar mostly has Industrial applications and mostly used in:

  • Beverage Industry
  • Food Manufacturing Industry
  • Table-Top sweeteners
  • Pharmaceuticals Industry
  • Other applications like: tea & coffee premixes, dairy(ice-creams, deserts, yogurt, lassi), bakery, confectionery, Chocolates, Indian sweets, flavouring, etc.

The future potential of Stevia:

Stevia is a natural sweetener that is used on behalf of sugar and artificial sweeteners. It has zero calories and has diverse benefits which have made more and more nations grow it commercially. Over years Japan has replaced sugar and artificial sweeteners with stevia by about 40%.

About 160 million tons of sugar is consumed annually. WHO estimates: Stevia is poised to replace 20% of sugar in coming years.

Increased consumer awareness has led to a change in food patterns and people have started looking out for sugar substitutes. Stevia has proved to be a boon for such people whose ratio is increasing day by day. In a country like India which is known as the ‘Diabetes capital of the world’ stevia has the highest potential to be most sought after in a few years.

Additionally, continuous product launches catering to the demand for antioxidants and natural ingredients products is expected to support the robust growth of plant-based sweeteners such as stevia. 

Cultivation in India

Stevia farming provides a profitable harvest to Indian farmers. It can be grown as a cash crop in smaller areas to generate extra income. Farmers may harvest stevia many times each year when growing conditions are most ideal.

Stevia has many names but is popularly known as “meethi tulsi” in India for its uncanny resemblance to the tulsi leaf, although it is not tulsi.

Though the world is aware of stevia farming, it is now fast catching up its awareness as a major industrial cash crop, and is the crop is conducive to most of the Indian climates.