Sugar plant( Stevia )

Sugar plant Stevia is the simple Bengali name of the tree. This tree is found in the mountainous regions of Paraguay. It is a creeper shrub. Its leaves are very sweet which is claimed to be 50 times sweeter than sugar. Its dried leaves are used in powder. Its extract is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. It does not harm diabetes but helps to reduce it. The largest consumer in Japan, they collect 40% of their total sugar demand from this stevia or sugar plant. BRAC is producing and selling it in Bangladesh