Stevia Extract Question
 

Has anyone ever used the stevia extract that comes in the little glass dripper bottle at whole foods that has the flavors like raspberry, english toffee, vanilla creme? I really want to try the english toffee version but it's like $14 and I'm worried it will be gross and then DH will kill me for wasting money :lol:

I have never been a fan of stevia because of the weird aftertaste but I have only tried the powder. Is the liquid better?

I don't have an answer for you AimeeJoi (what a lovely name!) but I'd like to chime in with another question about Stevia (I hope that's OK with you!) What form do people prefer it in/use it in? Like AimeeJoi said, there are the little dropper forms that can be flavoured (and oh yeah, that english toffee sounds AWESOME!) there are powders, and I've also seen leaves. I've never used Stevia before.

I see you've put your location as "pa" AimeeJoi...if you mean Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, I'll split the cost of a bottle with you, LOL! We're practically neighbors! Sorry, being silly this morning. :wiggle:

I wish I had an answer for both of you but I don't. I've tried stevia in powder form once and it was way too sweet for me.

I think that pa = pennsylvania. :)

I have bought the bottles- they were foul!
I liked the packets- in the orange box, but they caused severe low blood sugar for me (apparently this happens in people with diabetes). So I'm back to splenda.

We stopped Splenda 2 weeks ago. Started using Stevia extract with the dropper. Not flavoured in anyway. I really like it. Make sure to get the one with the label that says no bitter aftertaste. Also the first bottle we had was stevia with a water base and the second one was with a glycerine base. The glycerine base tastes way better, but makes a mess! Paid 9.99 for it at Loblaws in the health foood section - for those in Canada.

I prefer the liquid stevia, but it's an acquired taste...I haven't tried the flavored kind, but I plan too!

I occasionally use (KAL brand) liquid stevia. For travel, I use KAL powdered stevia in packets, which have Luo Han (another natural sweetener) added. I find that KAL is not bitter, and I think that I've tried them all. I don't use very much of it and only occasionally.

NOOOOOO! That was so not the answer I wanted!
:cry:

:lol:
In fairness, this was before stevia came out with the "no bitter after taste" products- so it might be different now? I really liked the orange packets of stevia and would have continued using them if they didn't cause the severe low blood sugars I mentioned.

The only time I use sweetener is in my tea in the morning. I've opted for raw honey because it is supposed to contain properties, such as enzymes, which makes it at least somewhat nutritional. I use very small quantities (quarter teaspoon per cup of tea at most).

I ran out of honey, and had stevia on hand, so gave it a try. WOW! Way too sweet! I had to really watch how much I put in my tea. But, I don't feel it had an after taste. Maybe it is the brand you are using.

sweet leaf brand stevia
 

I use Sweet Leaf brand liquid stevia. I find the powders all have a very very bitter aftertaste to them.


I like the plain Sweet Leaf. caution - It is very sweet. One drop to 2 liquid ounces is what they say. I just start out small and go from there. They do come in flavors - I tried the lemon, orange and personally didnt taste anything. One of my co-workers loves the grape.

A girlfriend just bought a steva plant from a garden center that carries wonderful old plants, and odd things. We broke off a leaf and chewed it and it was very sweet. She got it for her hubby to use in tea. Not sure how it will work out but it looks nice in her yard too.

That is pretty awesome, Skippie. I will have to look into that.

Love Stevia
 

I have used stevia in the small liquid bottles for years in my tea. The trick to Stevia is to not use too much. I like things very sweet and I only use about 4 drops in a large cup of tea. If you use too much it is too sweet and tends to end up even tasting bitter. Also, the bottles come in different strengths. The one I get is 300mg/ml, some are weaker so they require using more and don't taste the same. I don't think the packets of powdered stevia taste like much. The new packets work but just seem too "processed" for me. Give Stevia a try just start out with small amounts til you find the right amount for you! It is a great natural alternative to the artificial sweeteners that really aren't very good for you. Good luck!

oooh- I have to chime in (late as I am) and say the sweetleaf grape stevia is amazing. Added to lemon water it's 'I-can't-believe-it's-not-Kool-Aid'.

I do usually notice the taste with stevia- however some flavours mask it better, and sometimes if you use a little, then supplement it with another sweetener in small doses (eg xylitol) you get the sweet without the bitter taste.

I'm planning on buying the lemon stevia- for lemonade. I use the vanilla creme or chocolate raspberry with a little xylitol in my cafe mochas, my co-worker loves the english toffee in her tea, my mom and bro use the chocolate raspberry in plain yogurt, I use the apricot with either cucumber or lime water...

You do have to use small amounts, and I won't argue it can be a bit of an acquired taste- but I consider it the more natural of non-caloric no carb sweeteners to use.