Stevioside is the main sweetener found in the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a plant originating in South America. Dried leaves, as well as aqueous extracts, have been used for decades as a sweetener in many countries, notably in Latin America and Asia. Stevioside was discovered in 1931 by French chemists who gave it its name. The sweetening power of stevioside was estimated to be about 300 times stronger than cane sugar.