what is stevia made from

Stevia is made from the leaves of the stevia plant, especially Stevia rebaudiana , which contains sweet compounds called steviol glycosides. These compounds are extracted and purified, often with water and sometimes food- grade alcohol, to create the sweetener used in foods and drinks.

What it comes from

• The source is the stevia plant’s leaves, not sugar cane or artificial ingredients.

• The sweetness comes from naturally occurring steviol glycosides in the leaves.

How it is made

• Leaves are harvested and crushed.
• The sweet compounds are steeped out, usually with hot water.
• The liquid is filtered and purified.
• The purified extract may be dried into powder or made into liquid stevia.

Why it tastes so sweet

Steviol glycosides are very concentrated, so tiny amounts can be much sweeter than sugar, which is why stevia is used in such small doses.

TL;DR

Stevia sweetener is made from purified sweet compounds extracted from stevia leaves, mainly the plant Stevia rebaudiana.