SweetLeaf(R) Sweetener(TM) founder discusses plant's impact at International Symposium

GILBERT, Ariz., April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Although stevia has been available as a dietary supplement for years, the recent onslaught of stevia sweetening products provides Latin America with a tremendous economic opportunity, according to the man known as a pioneer in the stevia world.

"It's all up to you and what you do today, and the months to follow," said Jim May, CEO and founder of Gilbert, Ariz.-based Wisdom Natural Brands, the makers of SweetLeaf(R) Sweetener(TM). "Latin America can become a world leader - now you must make it happen."

May recently addressed attendees of the International Symposium on Stevia, held in Asuncion, Paraguay. As the first to bring stevia to the United States, May is held in high regard in the country for his tenacity, commitment to the growers and for seeing the enormous economic potential of a plant indigenous to the country.

"I regularly receive calls from all over the world from companies wanting to market SweetLeaf(R) Sweetener(TM), and farmers who want to grow stevia leaves for us," May said. "The message is clear: the world wants stevia, and demand grows for high quality stevia products."

More than 600 million packets of SweetLeaf(TM) stevia have been sold, replacing more than 1.2 billion teaspoons of sugar in the American diet.

"Within the next two to three years, stevia will be in every food and beverage category imaginable - water and soft drinks, ice cream, cakes, breads and cereals," May said. "It can be an enormous financial boost to Latin America and its citizens."

Currently, Wisdom Natural Brands is working with scientists, governmental officials, engineers, farmers and businessmen throughout South America and Central America to bring the finest quality stevia to America's table. The company works with 11 different countries, has doubled its capacity and will triple capacity with the development of a second production facility this summer.

May attributes the success of SweetLeaf(TM) to high quality leaves with naturally occurring high Rebaudioside A, the sweetest part of the stevia plant, and the pure extraction process of SweetLeaf(TM). Whereas other companies use chemicals, alcohols or even solvents that actually change the molecular structure and taste of the naturally occurring substances, SweetLeaf(TM) uses only purified water to collect the finest, sweetest parts of the stevia plant.

"All stevia extracts are not equal in the process of extraction, and therefore the taste of the products differ dramatically," May said. "Third-party market research continues to validate that SweetLeaf(TM) is the most recognized stevia brand, and the best tasting stevia product in the world, reinforcing the increased sales of our product in the marketplace. After 15 years SweetLeaf(TM) continues to be America's number-one selling stevia brand and was the first stevia sweetener to achieve the coveted FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) designation on March 5, 2008."

May was the pioneer who realized the potential of the stevia plant when visiting Paraguay and tasting stevia leaves there in the early 1980s. Since his discovery, he has worked doggedly to market the product throughout the world, and is the original U.S. marketer of a stevia sweetener with deep historical knowledge of the health benefits and history of the sweet plant. Considered the "Father of Stevia" by many in the industry and a legend in Paraguay, May's keynote speech was attended by government officials, stevia growers and processors and business professionals throughout the world.

SweetLeaf(R) Sweetener(TM) is completely calorie-free, all-natural, and has a zero glycemic index. Long used in the United States as a dietary supplement and nutritional additive, stevia is a naturally sweet plant that is 30 times sweeter than sugar. The pure glycosides that are extracted from the stevia leaves are 300 to 400 times sweeter than sugar.

Gilbert, Ariz.-based Wisdom Natural Brands(R) is the parent company of two highly respected consumer brands: SweetLeaf(R) Sweetener(TM) and Wisdom of the Ancients(R) herbal teas. Recipes, equivalency charts and more information are available at www.sweetleaf.com.

SOURCE Wisdom Natural Brands