Its health and environmental benefits far surpass those of refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, which are known to cause diabetes and tooth decay.” from the EDITOR If you’re just starting out in indoor growing and are considering what plant might be most beneficial for you and your family, you might want to give stevia a try. Stevia is a healthy sugar substitute. It is most widely used in drinks such as tea, replacing sugar-sweetened drinks like juice and soda that account for the majority of the 129 pounds of sugar North Americans consume annually on average. It can also be used in baking (another leading contributor of refined sugar in the average diet), salad dressing, and yogurt. As Peggy Bradley states in her story on stevia on page 34, the $97-billion sugar industry has fought the introduction of stevia and, as a result, it is not a common product in North America. This is unfortunate as its health and environmental benefits far surpass those of refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, which are known to cause diabetes and tooth decay. What’s more, the stevia plant is a peren- nial, so it can live for several years once established in a hydroponic system and produce enough for several people while taking up a small amount of space. If better health and a reduced environmen- tal impact are on your priority list, then it’s time to get sweet on stevia. As always, thanks for reading Maximum Yield, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected].