Stevia leafĀ is obtained fromĀ Stevia rebaudiana, a South American evergreen shrub also known asĀ Sugar LeafĀ andĀ Sweet Leaf.
For thousands of years, the indigenous peoples of Paraguay and Brazil have used the leaf of this plant as a natural sweetener for various beverages such as chimarrão, an infusion commonly called yerba mate. Because stevia leaf is virtually free of calories and carbohydrates,
it is used as an alternative to cane sugar.