The sweet-tasting part of stevia leaves are called steviol glycosides. Stevia has been used for centuries by the indigenous people of South America to sweeten beverages. Photo: Filepic
A tiny stevia plant is plonked in front of me. It seems unassuming, a plain Jane with standard issue green leaves, pencil thin stalks and garden variety muddy brown roots. A normal, nothing-special plant.
Except that I have travelled over an hour on a bus from Kuala Lumpur to the depths of Negri Sembilan (thank you, Malaysian Investment Development Authority) to see this “nothing-special” plant with my very own eyes. Its reputation, you see, precedes it.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
