Sweet Tea Extract usually refers to the natural sweet compound obtained from Stevia rebaudiana. The active component is mainly stevia glycoside (such as Rebaudioside A, purity ≥95%), and it is 200-350 times sweeter than sucrose. The heat gets close to zero (0.3kcal/g). For example, the Coca-Cola Company used stevioside to replace 30% of sucrose (10g per can less sugar) and recorded a 17% increase in zero-sugar Cola yearly sales (2022 financial reports), without sacrificing the FDA’s GRAS (Generally Recognized as safe) accreditation.
Health and metabolic control are basic applications. Clinical trials showed that Sweet Tea Extract could reduce postprandial peak blood glucose levels by 22% (50mg dose, reduced area under the 30-minute glycemic curve) and improve insulin sensitivity by 18% (HOMA-IR index from 2.5 to 2.05, Diabetes Care 2020 study). Stevioside capsules (300mg/day) introduced by a health product company lowered type 2 diabetes patients’ glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from 7.8% to 6.9% (treatment for 6 months), and the rate of re-purchase achieved 76%.
Innovation in the food industry is based on its characteristics. Stevioside demonstrates 99% stability (sucrose decomposition rate >40%) in acidic beverages (pH 3.0), and heat resistance (no degradation after treatment at 120℃ for 30 minutes). Unilever replaced 50% sugar content in ice cream with Sweet Tea Extract, resulting in indicative reduction of 35% in product calories (from 150kcal to 97kcal per 100g) and growth of 12% in market share (Nielsen 2023 data).
Security and compliance facilitate worldwide applications. The EU EFSA sets the acceptable daily intake (ADI) at 4mg/kg body weight, and the US FDA approves it for use in baked foods (max addition 0.2%). China’s “Standard for the Use of Food Additives” (GB 2760) allows the addition of stevioside as a food additive in beverages to 0.05g/kg, and a tea business sold a “zero card series” of more than 50 million cups per year (unit price ￥25) and 18% cost savings (price volatility of sugar ±30%, price of stevioside stable).
Environmental protection and sustainable production become the standard. Stevia cultivation requires 75% less water than sugarcane (200m³ water per ton of stevia glycoside vs. Sugar cane 1,500m³) and a 60% reduction in carbon footprint (entire life cycle analysis from planting to extraction). Tate & Lyle’s Stevia farm in Paraguay was Rainforest Alliance certified for using regenerative farming methods to increase soil organic matter by 2.3% (over a 3-year cycle).
Following innovation orientation functional enhancement. The technology of nanoencapsulation (encapsulation rate ≥98%) increases stevia solubility in dairy products (75% → 99%), and prolongs product shelf life by 30% (from 21 days → 27 days) when implemented at Yili. The MIT team worked on gene-edited varieties of stevia with Rebaudioside M content from 0.5% to 15% (industry standard is a paltry 10%) and sucrose-like sweetness profile from bitter residue reduced by 90%, which is scheduled for commercialization in 2025. The researchers have made breakthroughs in multiple areas.
Market figures reflect that the stevia market size globally will grow at a CAGR of 11.2% (2023-2030) and $1.2 billion by the year 2023, the majority led by demand for sugar-free beverages in the Asia-Pacific region (China at a yearly growth rate of 23%). Sweet Tea Extract Revolutionizes the industry worth of healthy sweeteners with extensive usage.