For a large part, some even attribute their longevity to the intake of mate with stevia. Moses Bertoni was inspired by what he learned about these habits, and introduced the sweet leaf to the modern world.

Here in the West, we enjoy our common herbal tea recipes with the extra sweetness of sugar, but with all the side effects like sugar addiction to keep in mind, the number of people looking for healthy alternatives is rapidly increasing. This is where the stevia sweetener comes into play. There is a reason – in fact, there are several – why the Guarani Indians took trust in stevia: it has the same wonderful qualities as their mate.

Tea connoisseurs such as Jules from Learn About Tea have elevated brewing tea to an art. They are convinced that for the best results, you should always use top quality bottled water to boil your tea, and that different herbs mean different temperatures and boiling times. 

Because tea is quick and easy to make, it can be fun to experiment: be mindful that if you don’t boil your tea long enough, it will lack flavor, but boil it for too long and it might end up tasting bitter. Also, don’t boil your water for too long: the longer you boil it, the more oxygen is lost, which will affect the quality of taste. So always look for that sweet spot in between!

For steeping, we recommend that you use fresh stevia leaves that you can harvest after growing stevia. Crack and tear the leaves before steeping them, so they can release their sweet taste more easily. We have selected what we think are some of the best stevia herbal tea recipes out there, but the list could go on and on. The possibilities are endless and since we’re always on the lookout for proven recipes, we gladly encourage you to share your own stevia recipes. After all, each and every one of us deserves a bit of sweetness in their life!

For more tips on how to make herbal tea, be sure to pay Caroline's website a visit.

Herbal thyme and stevia tea

Ingredients: 

• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, torn   
• 1 teaspoon fresh stevia leaves, torn   
• 1 cup bottled water

Heat water in saucepan on highest setting until you reach the boiling point and it starts to boil gently. Turn down to a simmer and add thyme and stevia. Cover pan and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain tea and serve.

• rind from 1 lemon   
• 2 cups bottled water   
• 3 teaspoons mint leaves, torn   
• 1 teaspoon fresh stevia leaves, torn

Heat water in saucepan on highest setting until you reach the boiling point and it starts to boil gently. Turn down to a simmer and add lemon rind, mint leaves and stevia. Cover pan and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain tea and let cool completely. Add ice cubes and serve.

• 1 ginger root, peeled and sliced   
• 1 teaspoon fresh stevia leaves, torn   
• 1 saucepan water

Peel and slice ginger root into long, thin slices. Heat water in saucepan on highest setting until you reach the boiling point and it starts to boil gently. Turn down to a simmer and add ginger root and stevia. Cover pan and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain tea and serve.

Citrus/Mint iced tea with stevia (courtesy of Christine Sine)

Ingredients:   

• 8 teaspoons Loose Leaf black or red tea Or 8 Teabags
• 1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
• 8 cups Boiling Water
• 1 cup Orange Juice
• 1 Orange,Cut Into Thin Slices
• 1 Lemon,Cut Into Thin Slices
• 1 Lime,Cut Into Thin Slices
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup stevia syrup
• 2 litre bottle sparkling mineral water or soda water

Put tea & mint in a heat resistant glass or ceramic pot. Pour in the boiling water & steep for 30 minutes. Strain & refrigerate. Pour into a large pitcher. Add orange juice. Add orange, lemon & lime rinds. Add ginger syrup & mineral water and serve with ice cubes. If you prefer a more lemony flavour add 1/2 cup lemon juice or steep a handful of lemon verbena leaves with the mint.