Stevia is an exceptional shrubby plant, since in addition to having medicinal properties, the sugar that is extracted from it it can be consumed by people with diabetes without having to worry about your health.
Do you want to discover with me how to dry stevia leaves and thus be able to take advantage of its many benefits? Let's get started.
Stevia characteristics
La Stevia rebaudiana, from which the natural sweetener is extracted, is a plant native to tropical America, specifically Paraguay and Argentina. Its leaves are evergreen, which means that they keep them all year round, but in cool climates it is normal for several to fall off, since it cannot bear temperatures below 0ºC. With a height of approximately one meter, it is ideal for growing both indoors and in mild climate gardens.
It has really very pretty leaves, shiny dark green. They are slightly toothed or lanceolate, hairy. Its flowers, which sprout in springThey are small, white in color and with hardly any aroma -but with a lot of ornamental value-.
How to dry the leaves
Now that we know some of the main characteristics of this wonderful plant, let's see how to dry your leaves:
- The first thing we have to do is cut some leaves that are fully developed.
- Then clean them conscientiously with cold water, and then remove excess moisture with kitchen paper napkins.
- The next step is to deposit them on absorbent paper, and put them in a warm place, but protected from direct sun. Leave them there until you see that, if you touch them, they creak.
- Finally, it will be time to shred the leaves with a mortar to turn them into powder, which you can store in a sugar bowl.
With these tips, it will be very easy for you to take advantage of the medicinal sugar in your Stevia plant.
Do you dare to try it?