Stevia a natural safe sweetener
A natural sugar with zero calories - is that possible? Yes it certainly is! Paraguayans and South Americans has had their own way of sweetening their food for hundreds of years. Stevia leaves can be chewn directly or refined into liquid, powder or granualte. And the almost magic with it is that it contains no carbohydrates, zero calories and a lot more advantages.
What is stevia?
Stevia is a plant or actually a family of plants that has its origin in Paraguay and Brazil. It's well known there too be a sweet leaf to chew or to sweeten the Guarané indians traditional tea, called Yerba Maté.
Today South Americans use the leafs or the refined extract to sweeten their food in different ways.
Stevia has also been used commercially in Japan since 1971, and for over 30 years in South Korea, China and South America as a table-top sweetener and natural sugar substitute in a wide variety of foods and beverages in the food industry.
Why stevia?
Stevia has been known to actually be sweet but at the same time not contain any calories or carbohydrates. And as such it will not be the main cause of overweight, dental problems (caries) or high blood pressure. It even lowers blood pressure in some studies.
It's a blessing for diabetics that can use it at all times without fear of their health.
It's almost too good to be true in a western ear, but the long traditional use says otherwise.
Serious research shows that it's not just a result of folklore, it's a fact.
Why Arbolito?
Arbolito recognised the power of Stevia in an early stage because our good connection to Paraguay. But the powerful resistance from the sugar and sweetener companies has made this difficult until now. 
One of the reasons Arbolito started this project is that we face a serious health problem in the world. Overweight and other sugar related diseases is a huge problem in the western world.
We think that we can open the eyes of people to see what so many seen before us; That Stevia can be a big part of the solution.
Why chemically try to create artificial sweeteners when a natural product already exists?
So what is the problem?
Stevia is legally imported for own use in a number of countries in Europe, but previously not allowed as a a commercial food additive.
All though several food organisations backing Stevias safety, EU is refering to that they await a verdict from European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (See Eustas for more info). (Note. EFSA has now granted the use of Stevia in 2010-04-15.)
Hundreds of years use, and a big majority of research results shows that it is completely safe, and we will inform everyone that thinks differently about that fact.
The production of Stevia har increased enormously the past years after one scientifical report after the other states what Paraguayans already know for hundreds of years. It's the safest sweetener we know of today. The fact that Japan used stevia since 1971, and that stevia has 40% of the total sweetener market with no known reported side effects or health issuses, also helps countries to legalise Stevia as the safe sweetener for the food industry.
We have a good start and expect the business to increase for the next few years. Our first market is the natural health food market, but our aim is mainly the industries and wholesalers to the industry.
