Has Stevia been used in cooking and baking?

Yes. Stevia has been used in cooking in South America for centuries. Whilst Stevia has grown in popularity in many countries around the world, it is Japan that represents and interesting example. Apparently artificial sweetners, such as aspartame, have been banned in Japan for over 30 years. Natural Stevia is being used in over 30% of the country’s food products. Stevia has been used in Japan in several major packaged-goods brands.