Stevioside

Stevioside is a purified diterpene glycoside compound extracted from Stevia rebaudiana leaves, not a whole food ingredient. Macronutrient content: 0 kcal per typical serving dose (40–100 mg); 0g fat, 0g protein, negligible digestible carbohydrates despite molecular formula C38H60O18 (MW 804.87 g/mol). The compound itself constitutes ~2–15% of dried stevia leaf by weight in commercial extracts, typically standardized to ≥95% stevioside purity in supplement/sweetener forms. Bioactive compounds: Stevioside is the primary glycoside consisting of a steviol aglycone backbone bound to three glucose units; co-occurring glycosides in less purified extracts include rebaudioside A (often 30–50% of glycoside fraction), rebaudioside C, dulcoside A, and steviolbioside. Sweetness potency: approximately 200–300× sucrose by weight, meaning effective doses are 40–100 mg per sweetening equivalent of ~10g sucrose. Micronutrients: none present at meaningful concentrations in isolated stevioside form. Fiber: 0g. Vitamins and minerals: negligible to zero in purified form. Bioavailability notes: stevioside is poorly absorbed intact in the small intestine (<5% systemic absorption); gut microbiota (primarily Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium species) hydrolyze it to steviol and steviol-glucuronide in the colon; steviol is then absorbed and undergoes hepatic glucuronidation, with >95% excreted renally as steviol-glucuronide within 24 hours; the steviol metabolite is the primary bioactive circulating form at plasma concentrations of approximately 0.5–2.0 µg/mL after typical doses; no caloric contribution from colonic fermentation products has been demonstrated.