One drawback is that despite being between 250 and 300 times sweeter than sugar, some people find it has a slightly bitter, liquorice-like aftertaste. But companies are getting round this by blending it with - sugar. Tropicana recently launched a juice made with 50 per cent stevia and 50 per cent sugar, halving the number of calories per serving. And Coca-Cola is poised to launch its stevia-sweetened alternative to Coke across the world. It already sells a version of Sprite that includes stevia.
Laura Jones, a food science analyst at Mintel, said: "Stevia is the one to watch. It's still early in the innovation process, but it will become more appealing as new variants are released. Consumers want to cut sugar in their diets but not compromise on taste, plus they want to move away from anything artificial, so the appeal of plant-derived products is much stronger."
People are increasingly avoiding artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and acesulfame K. But dieticians warn this is a mistake. "There are some misconceptions that they're dangerous but there is no evidence that any are harmful," said Cara Sloss, a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.
Some consumers may dislike their taste, but they don't pack anything like the calorific punch of sugar, which has 400 kilocalories in every 100 grams. The use of intense sweeteners in food and drink product launches has grown from 3.5 per cent in 2009 to 5.5 per cent in 2012, the same report found. The global market for all sweeteners as additives in food manufacture was worth more than $2bn in 2012.
Other natural alternatives include the fuzzy, green, melon-like monk fruit, once cultivated by Buddhist monks in China. It is already used in the US, where analysts believe it could help to revive the flagging diet soda sector.
The "main message", though, says Ms Sloss, is that we need to cut down. "It's about re-educating your tastebuds, because we know sugar is addictive."
Stevia has no calories, no carbohydrates, and does not raise blood sugar levels Stevia has no calories, no carbohydrates, and does not raise blood sugar levels.
Grow your own 'sugar'
Stevia may sound like it's made in a laboratory, but it is in fact a plant that anyone can grow at home. Yet strict EU rules mean that it can't be grown for domestic human consumption in the UK - even though gardeners in the US can do so - and can only be cultivated as an ornamental herb. But there are other options for people who want to grow their own "sugar". Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata), can be used as a sugar substitute - the seeds and dried leaves can be added to fruit pies and crumbles, while the flowers, and even the roots, are also good for salads or cooking. Gardener Sarah Raven says the plant adds a "gentle aniseed flavour" to dishes.
- INDEPENDENT