What is the difference between Stevia, Rebaudiana-A & Rebaudiana-M?
Stevia is the name of the plant. Stevia rebaudiana plant contains a high percentage of steviol glycoside (stevioside & rebaudioside A, C, D, F & M). Rebaudioside-A and Rebaudioside-M are the best ingredient of all steviol glycosides.
Rebaudioside-M (Rebaudiana-M, Reb-M):
Rebaudioside-M is considered the Next Generation of stevia sweetener. Researchers have discovered a novel minor steviol glycoside in stevia leaves, called rebaudioside M.
What is the advantage of Reb-M 95%?
-
Reb-M 95% has more sweetness potency and less aftertaste. It has a superior flavour profile compared to other steviol glycosides. The taste is round and soft, sweet from the tip of the tongue, without aftertaste, very similar to sugar. It is 400 times sweeter than sugar.
-
Owing to its sugar-like taste, it allows for greater amounts of sugar to be replaced with Reb-M 95%, while maintaining the clear soft sweetness without the lingering aftertaste.
-
Reb-M has a water solubility of 0.1 g/100 mL at 25 °C.
-
With its pure sugar-like taste Reb-M is being used instead of sugar in beverages, ice cream, tabletop sweetener, desserts, dairy products, confectionery, baking, canned fruits, pickled foods, and other products.
Why Rebaudiana-M 95% is very expensive?
While Rebaudioside-A found in 5% of stevia leaves, Rebaudioside-M found in only less than 0.1% in stevia leaves. Therefore, concentration and purifications process requires more steps to produce high concentration Reb-M, and for these reasons Reb-M is significantly more expensive than Reb-A. To reduce cost, it can be blended with other mixtures of the stevia sweeteners.
Having said that, Rebuadiana-A 98% is still everyone's favour it due to its popularity, taste and cost.
Scientific assessment of Rebaudioside-M:
PDF: Development of Next Generation Stevia Sweetener: Rebaudioside M
Rebaudioside-A (Rebaudiana-A, Reb-A):
Reb-A is still the best option in terms of cost and quality. Stevia leaves contain 5% Rebaudioside A and can be further filtered and purified up to 99%. That’s why Rebaudioside-A is more expensive than Stevioside. The more purified and concentrated the less bitter and more sweeter it tasts. It could actually goes up to 400 times sweeter than sugar.
Scientific assessment of Rebaudioside-A:
PDF: Overview: The history, technical function and safety of rebaudioside A, a naturally occurring
PDF: Effect of Rebaudioside A, a diterpenoid on glucose homeostasis in STZ-induced diabetic rats.