Stevia and pseudo-stevia

I am more than a lttle concerned about Carghill/Coca-Cola's new "stevia derived" sweeteners.  In other words, in order for the "stevia derived" sweeteners to be patentable they had to be changed to something that was not the same as pure stevia.  And I find it more than a little ironic that the FDA suppressed stevia (to the point of not even allowing it to be labeled as a "sweeter") until the big food boys came up with their patented version.

Myself, I don't like the taste of most stevia products I have tried - particularly the whangy aftertaste.  The tastes of stevia products varies widely and some brands are better tasting than others, such as "SweetLeaf-Stevia Clear".  In addition to getting a superior version, a key seems to be to start off with very small amounts and increase only up to the amount needed for a "sweet" taste.  Regardless of the brand, too much will likely impart a bitter taste as well as the aforementioned aftertaste.

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