Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana L.) popularly known as sweet leaf has been used as a sweetening agent in tea, beverages and food since a long time. Cane sugar has been used extensively in the world and consequently health disorders are increasing. Stevia a natural sweetener without contributing calories and possessing sweetness several hundred times than sugar has become a boon for the calorie conscious. The thirst-quenching ready-to-serve (RTS) beverages are popular for many reasons. In the present study, an attempt has been made to prepare low calorie RTS fruit beverages using optimized quantities of stevia aqueous extract and a commercial stevioside powder as replacement for sugar. Fruits namely jamun, mango, pineapple, pomegranate and purple grapes were used in the study. The RTS beverages were analysed for physico-chemical and sensory parameters during storage for six months. The RTS beverages were well accepted by sensory panelists and found that the beverages were stable up to four months of storage, during which changes in physico-chemical parameters and sensory scores were found to be minimal.

Stevioside is widely used in food, beverage, medicine, chemical, wine, cosmetics and even in pharmaceutical field in place of other sugars.etc.Compare with sucrose ,it can save the cost of 60%. Stevioside has the characteristic of white color, good taste and no peculiar smell. It’s a broad development and good prospect in new sources of sugar.

Steviarebaudiana B.Is a low-calorie sweetener 300 times sweeter than saccharose.S. rebaudiana B.also contains folic acid, vitamin C and essential amino acids.Stevia possesses therapeutic, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties.Stevioside and rebaudioside A are two thermostable sweeteners of S. rebaudiana.Stevia as a new agricultural crop may satisfy consumer’s demand for natural foods.