Native to parts of Brazil and Paraguay, the Stevia rebaundiana plant was first studied in 1899 by the botanist Moisés Santiago Bertoni who observed its sweet taste. Locals called it ka?a he?? , or "sweet herb", and used it as as medicine with a very specific purpose.

According to Bertoni the botanist, Stevia was used by the native tribes in Paraguay for centuries as a powerful contraceptive that destroys fertility.

And what if I told you that since Stevia has been pumped into the Western food supply, birth rates have plummeted, risking population collapse? And what if I told you Obama's science czar knew about the effects of Stevia all along?

The FDA allowed the import of Stevia for the first time in 1995, allowing the sweetener to be used only as a dietary supplement. Then in December 2008 the FDA added Stevia to the list of food additives "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS. Stevia was then allowed to be added to flavored water, sports drinks as well as soft drinks and other foods and beverage products.

Since then Stevia has been pumped into the food supply as an ingredient in over 14,500 food and beverage products around the world including teas, soft drinks, juices, yogurt, soy milk, baked goods, granola bars, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, cereal, salad dressings, confections and as a tabletop sweetener.

Given the widespread use of Stevia, it is worth asking whether the native tribes in Paraguay had it right. Is it really a powerful contraceptive?