1. Can we use Stevier like sugar in coffee and tea?
You can use it as a sweetener in any beverage. However do not add the leaf powder like sugar, as it will not melt. Make a liquid extract and use the same. Instructions on how to make a liquid extract is enclosed in every commercial pack.

2. Can I use Stevier to cure diabetes?
Stevier is basically sold as a calorie free dietary supplement, and you can use to sweeten food products with the same. It is not sold as a drug. However literature states that upon prolonged consumption of Stevier, it influences the pancreas for the production of Insulin.

3. Is there any proof that Stevier is calorie free?
There is unlimited information on the Internet. Use Stevia as keyword and you will get over 2,50,000 websites, about the history, uses and safety of Stevia. ASR Herbals in Association with Food & Nutrition Scientists in different Universities, have prepared foodstuffs with Stevier, and tested them on Diabetic patients and proven it to be hypoglycaemic. Reports are available for sale at the ASR Group office, 71/2, 21st A Main, Marenahalli, JP Nagar, Bangalore 560078. Call 9845006451 or send fax to 080-26651157 or e-mail to stevier@asrherbals.com

4. If Stevier has no sugar and calorie, how is it sweet?
Stevier is nothing but the leaf powder of a plant by name Stevia rebaudiana or commonly know as honey leaf in English. ASR Herbals has coined the name Madhu Patra, which is the exact translation of the English common name in Sanskrit. Madhu Patri in Telgu, Madhu Parani in Marathi and Seeni Tulsi in Tamil are the names it is commonly known in other English languages. The leaves have several di-terpene glycosides, but the most important are known as Stevioside and Rebaudioside. These di-terpene glycosides skip insulin pathway, resulting in as calorie free sweeteners. Though the leaf as such will have some calorie due to the fibre content, the recommended liquid extract will be totally calorie free.

5. Should I stop my medication for diabetes when I start to use Stevier?
Please do not stop any medication. However after 1 month of Stevia usage, kindly monitor your blood sugar and continue to do so on regular intervals.

6. I am not diabetic, can I also use Stevier?
You are most welcome to use Stevier. Any individual who is calorie conscious is welcome to use Stevier as a sweetener. It is highly recommended for the Diabetic, Obese and Athlete.

7. Why in the past we have not heard about Stevia?
It is not right to say that we do not know Stevia. The Gaurani Indians in the Rio-Monday Valleys have been using Stevia to sweeten their tea, which is called "Ka-He" or "CaaHe". Only in the later 1890's it was discovered by Bertoni a botanist and introduced to Europe. It is indeed new to the Indian market, but ASR has been working on this plant since 1997. Today the consumers of Stevia are mainly in Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, parts of the EU and parts of Asia.


8. Is Stevier a licensed product?
Stevier in India is marketed in India vide PFA license PFA 1073. Stevia is permitted for sale in the USA, as a dietary supplement vide FDA #IA 45-06.

9. How many drops of the liquid should I use for a cup of tea or coffee?
Generally we suggest that you use 8 drops for a cup of coffee or tea. This measure is relative and depends on your taste, cup size and strength of the beverage.

10. What are the other uses of Stevier powder?
The powder other than being a calorie free sweetener can also be used as an anti-oral bacterial powder. You can mix it with tooth powder, or use extracts of Stevia for manufacturing toothpastes and mouth washes. In addition Stevia leaf powder has excellent skin tightening properties, hence you can make a paste using rose water and apply on your skin for 30 mins for 30 days. The wrinkle will gradually reduce and as the skin tightens the wrinkles will become less pre-dominant. Stevia leaf is also know to reduce hypertension, cleanse and purify the body, have digestive properties, cardio tonic properties etc.

11. Stevier powder is available in what quantity of packing?
100g, 500g & 1000g.

12. Stevia is available in how many different forms?
Stevia is available as leaves, leaf powder, liquid extract, spray dried extract, refined Stevioside. All these forms are produced by ASR HERBALS, with the Stevia cultivated by ASR Nurseries.

13. Can I Mix Stevier in coffee powder or tea powder?
You can mix and make sweet decoction, however the efficiency of usage is reduced and you need to use more powder than required to sweeten a cup of tea, as the time of extraction is limited as compared to the period of making a Stevier liquid extract. There a lot of users of Stevier who mix it with coffee powder or add the powder while boiling water to make tea. This is surely an easier and less cumbersome process of using Stevier.

14. Can we use Stevier in other diabetic products?

Stevier would be an excellent sweetener for all diabetic products. Diabetic health drinks, herbal teas, diabetic biscuits & bread, diabetic fruit juices etc. can be very well sweetened using Stevier.

15. Is there any study or official report on the properties and uses of Stevia?

Basic studies have been conducted by the Dept. of Food & Nutrition, UAS, GKVK, for which part of the funding was provided by the ASR Group. The study concluded that Stevia is safe for consumption by diabetic, and there is immense scope to process Stevia and develop products. These reports are available with the ASR Group.