Stevia

Stevia, as it is commonly known, is native to valley of the Rio Monday in North Eastern Paraguay and is found on the edges of marshland on acid infertile sand or muck soils. The conquistadors had reported stevia to the Spanish during the 16th century but it remained in obscurity until it was again brought to the attention of Europeans in 1888 by M.S. Bertoni. Prior to any European discovery, it had had long to been known to the indigenous Guarani peoples native to that region. The Guarani called it caá-êhê, meaning sweet herb and used it to sweeten bitter drinks such as mate.
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