The Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant was discovered by the native Guarani people more than 1,500 years ago. The plant grew in clumps along the edges of the rainforests of Paraguay. In the beginning, the natives used the leaves for medicinal benefits, to freshen their breath, and to sweeten and mellow the strong taste of herbal yerba maté tea. Today, the leaves are used as a better-for-you, non-glycemic replacement for sugar. Stevia leaves are 30 times sweeter than sugar and are highly nutritious, containing more than 100 nutrients. The versatile stevia leaf can be eaten fresh, dried, or steeped in water to make a delicious stevia tea.