Zero calories and two hundred times sweeter than sugar. Stevia Leaves are from a herbaceous perennial native to South America and used as a sugar substitute. The leaves are dried and crushed to sweeten beverages like coffee, tea, yerba mate or baked goods. Indigenous peoples used it medicinally to treat burns, stomach problems, and colic. It helps to decrease sugar consumption and may be beneficial for weight loss or diabetic diets. The leaves can be brewed in hot water, like tea, to produce a liquid sweetener.