What is the difference between steviol glycoside and steviol alcohol?

Stevia glycosides are a multi-component mixture of sweet glycosides.

It is generally believed that there are eight main glycosides. They are: steviol glycoside, rabdoside A, rabdoside B, rabdoside C, rabdoside D, rabdoside E, dukoside, steviol glycoside, etc. These eight glycoside structures are all derivatives of tetracyclic diterpenoid steviol alcohol.

It is generally believed that steviol alcohol is the parent or aglycone of the eight steviol glycoside components mentioned above. Steviol glycoside is a derivative of steviol alcohol with three glucose groups.

Steviol glycosides are generally considered as a single component of the eight steviol glycosides mentioned above. Due to historical reasons, steviol glycosides have the highest content among the eight steviol glycosides mentioned above. Therefore, people also refer to steviol glycosides as steviol glycosides, which is now less commonly used.