How to Make Stevia Powder

Stevia powder comes from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, a hearty plant that's native to South America but can flourish in diverse climates (you can find the plant anywhere from Florida to Canada). The leaves are naturally sweet and a healthy alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners, as stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, won't cause cavities, doesn't affect your blood sugar (so it's ideal for diabetics) and is calorie-free. While you can purchase stevia powder in most health food stores, making it yourself can be fun and cost effective, and it's easy to grow in a large garden or in a small pot on your patio or balcony.

Things You'll Need

• Stevia starter plant
• Scissors
• Elastic band
• Paper clip
• Coffee grinder or mortar and pestle
• Airtight glass container

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Instructions

• 1

  Harvest the leaves from your stevia plant throughout the summer or, ideally, in the fall. Cut the branches off with scissors.

• 2

  Bunch the branches together with an elastic band and use a paper clip or hanger to hang them up to dry. Select a dry, warm, drafty place in direct sun if possible.

• 3

  Let the branches dry until they're crisp, which will normally take from 12 hours to a few days.

• 4

  Strip the leaves from the branches with your hands. They will crumble off quite easily.

• 5

  Grind the leaves into a powder using a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Pick out any stems or sticks from the powder.

• 6

  Store your new stevia powder in an airtight glass container.