Supplement Facts

SweetLeaf is the brand name for the first and only great-tasting, natural, zero-calorie, Stevia-based sweetener offered in America. It was first introduced in 1996 as a dietary supplement. Then, after some of the most stringent scientific research on its safety and its unique, ultra-pure formulation, SweetLeaf Sweetener became the very first Stevia-based product to achieve GRAS status.

The sweet flavor of SweetLeaf comes from the Stevia plant – a natural herb cultivated in the unique climates of South America. Each time you enjoy the goodness of SweetLeaf, you support positive, sustainable production in these countries. In fact, farmers are learning they can earn more growing Stevia than they can growing crops used for illegal drugs. That makes the world a safer and healthier place for everyone.

Compare Stevia To Other Sweeteners

Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb in the Compositae family that grows as a small shrub in parts of Paraguay and Brazil. The glycosides in its leaves make it incredibly sweet, a property unique among the nearly 300 species of stevia plants. Stevia is primarily cultivated in Paraguay, Brazil, Japan, China, and Colombia. There are other growers scattered across the Pacific Rim. Stevia is also being cultivated in Southern Ontario, Mexico, India, and other countries.

Stevia has been used to sweeten beverages and medicines since Pre-Columbian times. In the 1500s, the Spanish Conquistadors learned about Stevia from the Guarani Indians of Paraguay, who used the plant’s leaves to sweeten tea and medicine. A scientist named Antonio Bertoni first recorded its usage by native tribes in 1887. In 1931, French chemists Bridel and Lavielle conducted exploratory extraction on Stevia leaves and discovered a crystalline compound they name “Stevioside,” which was found to be 250 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar.

During WWII, England and the United States began researching its potential during the sugar shortages. In the 1970s, Japan approved Stevia as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for food. Finally, in 1982, Wisdom Natural Brands founder James May brought Stevia to the United States after being introduced to the plant in Paraguay.

High quality Stevia leaves are up to 30 times sweeter than table sugar and will NOT raise blood sugar levels, making it safe for diabetics. The purified extracts of Stevia (called Steviosides) can be 250–300 times sweeter than table sugar. For the past 30 years, other countries have approved the use of Stevia as a sweetener and their populations have integrated Stevia into their diet. Stevia-based sweeteners have a nearly 40% market share in some of these countries.*

What is the FDA’s position on Stevia?
Results of extensive scientific research and tests in the US and around the world made it possible for SweetLeaf Sweetener to obtain GRAS status, the FDA classification of foods that are safe. It is the first Stevia-based product to achieve this designation.

Are there differences between brands of Stevia?
Absolutely. SweetLeaf Sweetener only uses the highest-grade Stevia plants with high concentrations of the best tasting sweetening compounds. Leaves from these plants are then dried and concentrated using purified water – and nothing more. The result is a fresh, clean, sweet taste without the bitter aftertaste found in inferior products. The makers of SweetLeaf Sweetener have been working with Stevia longer than anyone else in America so they truly understand the plant and its sweetening properties.

How has Stevia been used in food applications?
First, it has been used as a prepackaged replacement for sugar and artificial sweeteners. Second, it has been used in various food products, including sugar-free versions of Wrigley’s gums, Beatrice Foods yogurts, and even Diet Coke. It has also been used in pickles, dried seafoods, fish & meat products, vegetables, condiments, frozen foods, beverages of all kinds, confectionaries, and a host of other products.

Is Stevia safe?
Yes. Scientific research from around the world was exhaustively reviewed when the makers of SweetLeaf Sweetener presented their case for GRAS status (a rigorous FDA designation of food safety). An independent group of outside scientists concluded that SweetLeaf Sweetener met FDA standards for safety. In an unprecedented move to ensure the product’s safety, the makers of SweetLeaf Sweetener consulted with a second set of independent experts. These scientists confirmed that SweetLeaf Sweetener met FDA standards for safety.

The comprehensive review included studies on toxicity, cancer, reproductive health, long-term use, use at high volumes, the effects on blood-sugar levels, and more. Furthermore, after more than 30 years of high volume use in Japan and other countries, as well as more than a decade of use in America as a dietary supplement, there have been no reported cases of ill-effects. Recent scientific reviews by the World Health Organization (2003 and 2007) support these findings.

Can Stevia replace artificial sweeteners in the diet?
Yes! For the past 30 years other countries have approved the use of Stevia as a sweetener and their populations have integrated Stevia into their diet. Stevia-based sweeteners have a nearly 40% market share in some of these countries.

How many calories are in SweetLeaf Sweetener?
None. And it is also the only Stevia-based sweetener with no carbs and no glycemic index.

Is Stevia safe for diabetics?
Yes. SweetLeaf Sweetener can be a part of a healthy diet for anyone with blood sugar problems since it does not raise blood sugar levels. If in doubt, ask your doctor.

Can Stevia be used in cooking and baking?
Absolutely! Research shows that Stevia and Stevioside extracts are extremely heat stable in a variety of everyday cooking and baking situations. Look for the SweetLeaf Sweetener baking formulation soon!

What is the shelf life of SweetLeaf Sweetener packets?
Approximately three years.

How do environmental factors (heat, light, humidity, etc) affect SweetLeaf?
Environmental factors should not affect SweetLeaf Sweetener. SweetLeaf is stable to approximately 450 degrees Fahreneheit and is freezable.

How are Stevia extracts prepared?
Extracts of Stevia leaves can be prepared by a number of methods, some of which are patented. Most companies use alcohols or other chemical means to obtain the sweet flavored extracts. The makers of SweetLeaf Sweetener use only purified water to extract the sweetening agents from the plant. So it’s pure from the beginning right to your table.

What is the future of Stevia?
Very bright. As Jim May predicted in 1983, Stevia will become America’s premier sweetener and have a significant impact on general health and wellness.

I heard Stevia causes reproduction problems or cancer. Is this true?
No. It all began with stories that ancient Paraguay tribes used Stevia for birth control. However, to this day, not a single person has ever been able to document this rumor. But the rumor has been so persistent, numerous scientific studies have been done to put an end to this unfounded falsehood. Here are just a few of the most current studies that refute concerns about Stevia and its relationship to reproduction problems or cancer:

Roberts, A., Renwick, A.G., Comparative toxicokinetics and metabolism of rebaudioside A, stevioside, and steviol in rats, Food and Chemical Toxicology (2008)

Brusick, D.J., A critical review of the genetic toxicity of steviol and steviol glycosides, Food and Chemical Toxicology (2008)

Wheeler, A., Boileau, A.C., Winkler, P.C., Compton, J.C., Prakash, I., Jiang, X., Mandarino, D.A., Pharmacokinetics of rebaudioside A and stevioside after single oral doses in healthy men, Food and Chemical Toxicology (2008)

Geuns, Jan M.C. , Safety Evaluation of Stevia and Stevioside, Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, Vol. 27 (2002)

Wisdom Natural Brands is the parent company of three highly respected consumer brands: SweetLeaf, Wisdom of the Ancients, and Sweet & Slender Natural Sweetener. Wisdom Natural Brands is the leading US manufacturer and marketer of Stevia.

Over 25 years ago, entrepreneur and Wisdom Natural Brands founder and CEO Jim May was in Paraguay, where he tasted the Stevia plant and realized its potential. Mr. May invested his life savings in bringing the plant and its benefits to market. Today, SweetLeaf brand Stevia products have the largest market share in the industry. The introduction of SweetLeaf Sweetener as the only all-natural, zero calorie, zero carb, zero glycemic index sugar alternative is sure to increase that market share even more.

A Biography Of James A. May

May previously held positions as vice president of United Healthcare Association (UHA), Inc. and president of the United Dialysis Services (UDS), Inc. May has participated in numerous professional organizations and activities including Director of the Artificial Organs and Transplant program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of the Arizona Kidney Foundation, and consultant to the Chief of the government’s End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) program in Washington, D.C.