Stevia is a plant native to South America. It is natural, unlike other sugar substitutes. The sweetness in Stevia leaves comes from compounds called Steviol glycosides. Around 40 types of steviol glycosides are present in stevia leaf. The interesting thing to know is that all of them have their distinct sweetness properties. Stevia is about 100 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar. However, it does not have any carbohydrates, calories, or artificial ingredients. People in South America have been using it for years to sweeten tea and coffee.
Stevia is a zero-calorie and zero GI sweetener.