How To Dry Stevia Leaves In The Oven

The whole truth about SteviaStevia Herb! Stevia is a natural super sweet herb native to South America that can add flavor to your drinks and dishes without adding a single calorie! However, not all stevia sweeteners are created equal…Read: How to dry stevia leaves in the kiln Processed stevia is chemically intensive Although stevia is completely green, with its green leaves and stems concentrating its sweetness, the plant Store-bought stevia is a pure white crystalline substance. To market to American consumers, the makers of “stevia” decided that the more similar it was to the processed sugar we were trying to avoid, the more it would sell. While they may be true in terms of profits, processed stevia products contain dozens of toxic compounds, and you’re better off using white sugar!Most stevia shops started out in China, where it was grown and harvested, and then shipped to the US. At the end of the looooong process, the plants were treated very carefully with chemicals such as acetone (!) and methanol (?). many others, the result is a bright white, crystalline substance that looks a lot like sugar – to help it sell like sugar. After all the processing and chemical additives – you have to wonder if those calorie savings are really worth it! -xidant, and really good for you. But to get these benefits, you need real stevia, not processed fake sugar. For the surest source of authentic, natural, natural stevia for you – grow and harvest yourself. I even show you how to make stevia extract from fresh leaves. So easy! Stevia Stevia is an easy-to-grow herb that is hardy in zones 8-11 and will happily come in a container, making it easy to bring it indoors for winter in cold climates. Provide full sun, well-drained soil and even moisture until the plant is fully grown. Once it was, stevia was a low maintenance plant. Read more of our detailed stevia growing guide here.The leaves of stevia can be harvested singly or as a stem. Remember to watch for the formation of flower buds to remove them. The sweetest leaves come before the plant blooms, and again during the cooler weather of fall. Hormonal changes in the plant during flowering can cause leaves to be slightly bitter, so clamp back any buds that form. There are two main ways to do this – by drying the leaves or by extracting from the stevia plant. Drying stevia You can dry individual leaves or the entire stem, but only the sweet-tasting leaves you want to preserve. This can be done by hanging stems or leaves in bunches, as you would with other herbs. Or remove the leaves from the stem and spread them on a non-metallic screen outdoors with plenty of air circulation. A day in the sun is enough. You can use a food dehydrator or even an oven on low heat – 140 degrees for about 20 minutes. How to make stevia powder After your stevia plant is completely dry, separate the leaves from the stem and grind the leaves as finely as possible. The mortar and pestle work well, as do spice grinders or coffee grinders. The result will be an almost green powder, which has a wonderful aroma. Stevia is green – that white stuff that’s been very carefully processed with lots of chemicals that you don’t want to eat. Use the ground herb immediately or store it in a dark glass bottle or jar for future use. Sweet potato plants have an excellent shelf life and will not ferment or mold. Use about 1/8 of the ground stevia to achieve the sweetness of 1 teaspoon of sugar. Adjust to your personal preferences. Stevia will withstand cooking, but it doesn’t caramelize nor dissolve like processed sugar or sweeteners. A little green herb residue at the end of a refreshing drink is a nice reminder to some (me-me) that garden drinks are refreshing and healthy. If you don’t want to see this prompt or you want to use stevia in your baking – extract is the way to go for it. Continue reading! Making stevia extract or tincture To make the extract will require using only lightly ground stevia leaves – not finely ground. The following processes concentrate the sweet taste and herbal properties of stevia into a liquid for mixing with water or alcohol. This method extracts the sweetness from the stevia herb and concentrates it in water for future use. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add 1/2 cup of lightly crumpled stevia leaves. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 40 minutes. Strain through cheese cloth or coffee filter and pour into sterilized dark colored jars. Store your stevia extract in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. This makes 3/4 cup, or about 3 cups sugar. Now you know how to make stevia extract! Read more: how to separate 2,4 and 5ghz . orbitalsStevia For best and sweetest results, use fresh stevia leaves when making your tincture. While the dried leaves will work, it can then become slightly bitter in the process. Take 1 handful of fresh stevia leaves, wash them and gently squeeze them with your hands a few times. Place the leaves in a sterilized glass jar, cover with 100 rum or vodka. Tighten the lid and shake your mixture well. Place the flask in a dark and cool place for about 36 hours, shaking the flask several times throughout. For the cleanest, sweetest taste, don’t leave it for more than 36 hours. Pour and press the resulting mixture through cheese cloth or coffee filter into a small sauce pan. It should now be slightly brown in color. Cook over slow heat, until steam rises, but do not boil! Stir slowly as you cook the mixture. This causes the alcohol to evaporate and condenses the flavors into a thin, brown syrup. Continue cooking for 15-30 minutes. Relocate from heat and cold. Pour your homemade stevia tincture into a dark bottle and store for 3 months. Just a few drops will sweeten your tea or smoothie! Now you are ready to add sweetness and health benefits to your and your family’s life by growing and using your own stevia. Interesting! Gardening fun! ← Previous Post Next → Read more: Pnuematticcraft how to increase the pressure on the gas canister