NOW Foods Stevia Extract Powder, 100 Packets Stevia is a small perennial plant native to Central and South America with a long and storied history. The Spanish conquistadors found out about Stevia during their sixteenth century exploration of Central America.

They reported that the natives used the leaves of this herb to counteract the bitter taste of a popular community drink, mate, and also used it as an herbal remedy for various ailments.In 1887, Antonio Bertoni, a South American scientist, observed Indians of the Guarani tribe of Paraguay who used Stevia to flavor bitter tribal beverages.

Bertoni erroneously classified Stevia as a member of the daisy family, but it was later re-assigned to the chrysanthemum family in 19 5.Twenty-five years later, two French chemists conducting research on Stevia isolated the primary constituents responsible for Stevia's properties and named them steviosides.