Dried stevia leaves that have been treated to substantially remove volatile components, thereby forming treated stevia leaves, A process for substantially removing or volatilizing volatile components from a surface of dried ste via leaves without the assistance of a carbon containing solvent, wherein the process increases the permeability of solutes into the treated stevia leaves. A sweetening composition comprising treated stevia leaves that exhibit an increase in water permeability after being treated when compared to untreated comparable dried stevia leaves. A sweetening composition comprising treated stevia leaves that exhibits a darker color immediately after treatment. A sweetening composition comprising stevia extract that contains steviol glycosides and other non-volatile components found in stevia leaves, wherein the steviol glycosides and other non-volatile components combined are less than about 80 wt% of the stevia extract.A process for extracting one or more flavors from treated stevia leaves, comprising the step of subjecting the treated stevia leaves to one or more extractive steps. A sweetener comprising treated stevia leaves, wherein the treated stevia leaves are formed by substantially reducing volatile components from the stevia leaves.
