Kerala has a high Diabetes rate as its 20% high among Indian states. Does eating too much sugar cause diabetes? Sugar is a carbohydrate and eating too many carbohydrates can increase blood glucose, and will lead to Type 2 diabetes. Sugar-sweetened eatables and beverages are high in calories and have very little nutrition. It will raise your glucose levels. Since the sugar intake must be strictly controlled in order to prevent and manage diabetes unless you have low blood sugar levels.
What is an alternative solution for highly conscious people to consume a sugar substitute? Stevia is a bushy shrub and an intense sweetener plant used to sweeten beverages and make tea since ancient times. It’s 35-40% sweeter than the normal table sugar. You can use it as leaves (fresh, dried or ground), liquid extracts, powdered extracts, and stevia blends as well.
It’s 100% natural and has no calories. There is a huge market for Stevia business in Kerala as it is a herbal quality product. The plant is originally native to Paraguay and Brazil but cultivates in Punjab as well. It is used as a herbal supplement as it has little to no calories and is used as a healthful alternative to sugar in eatables and beverages. It is a non-fermentable flavour enhancer that helps in lowering blood pressure as well as preventing cavities and managing weight. Studies show that stevia sweeteners do not contribute calories or carbohydrates to the diet. Thus, it has no effect on blood glucose or insulin response. Since people with diabetes can eat a wider variety of foods and beverages adding stevia. As long as stevia is highly-purified and used in moderation, it will not cause side effects and can be consumed peacefully. You can use stevia as an ingredient in more than 5,000 food and beverage products. It can be used in ice cream, desserts, sauces, bread, soft drinks, yoghurts, pickled foods, candy, seafood, prepared vegetables etc.
The stevia business can be started with very little investment and can get a high return on investment. You must get registered and get the food license for starting this business and for online selling you should get the GST, Health card and sanitisation certificate prior to initiation. There is very little competition for selling the product in the market. You can make not less than 20% profit on an average from this business. You can buy the wholesale product from Punjab or from India mart sites and sell on a retail basis here. Or else you can depend on the agents to get the products.
You can sort and grade the leaves. Then pack it and label it for selling the Stevia as a product. Sometimes you may need a quality dryer to dry the leaves perfectly. But you must test the product samples in the microbiology lab for quality assurance prior to marketing the product. You can distribute the product at medical stores, Ayurveda shops, supermarkets, grocery shops, hotels etc. You can opt for online selling of the product in Amazon and other online platforms as well. The product usually rates between 110-150 for 50 grams. The dried leaves can be collected at 100 rupees per kilogram.