Image source: Health Benefits Times
Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii) is a gourd-family(1) climbing, entwining vine of up to 5 meters (16.4 feet) from parts of southern China and northern Thailand(1,2). Yes, monks used it: Buddhist(2) Chinese monks mentioned them in records from the 1200s. In the areas of greatest production in southern China, mists protect it from the sun though the weather is warm(1); otherwise it prefers "moist, humid and cool area and well drained or friable soil rich in organic matter." Mountainous/montane forest areas above about 600 meters (1,900-something feet) host it(2), and yet the plant doesn't occur so much in the wild(1); basic cultivation techniques have been necessary for it to survive otherwise(2). Its species name honors National Geographic Society president Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, who funded the 1930s expedition to locate a living plant in its realm of cultivation; fruits have come to America since the early 1900s(1).
Fruits can be eaten fresh, of green outer color when mature, and yet keeping fresh fruits is so difficult that they are typically dried, turning brown before sale, by Chinese herbalists in particular. This does bring out bitter and astringent flavors and so dried fruits are used more in teas, soups, and as a sweetener(1). Traditional uses as a remedy include using it for coughs, sore throats, stomach and intestinal issues, and constipation(2). China has long used monk fruit, furthermore, in cooling beverages(1,2) aiding with hot weather and fevers(1). It is now used as a low-calorie, natural sweetener extract which, when concentrated, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar(1,2).
It naturally regulates blood sugar, improves metabolism (which promotes improved body shape), has anti-inflammatory properties (including effectiveness with lung fibrosis), and promotes healthy bacteria. Leaves and fruit extracts combat numbers of pathogens as strep and candida which will cause gum disease and general bacterial infections. "The sugar to chemical sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame does not provide same effect as" they actually mess up gut bacteria and promote the general growth of bad bacteria(2).
Regular (not one-time) monk fruit use is linked to reduced histamine response and therefore provides allergy relief. Antioxidants in monk fruit help prevent bodily tissue and cancer-causing DNA damage. Improved blood sugar response and control of high-cholesterol side effects promote heart health. Note: monk fruit may cause various allergic reactions.
Personal Product Favorite:
Monk-fruit-sweetened, natural energy drink
Sources:
1. Wikipedia contributors. "Siraitia grosvenorii." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Jul. 2020. Web. 12 Aug. 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siraitia_grosvenorii.
2. "Health Benefits of Monk Fruit." Health Benefits Times. Health Benefits Times. Web. 12 Aug. 2020. https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/monk-fruit/.
Fruits can be eaten fresh, of green outer color when mature, and yet keeping fresh fruits is so difficult that they are typically dried, turning brown before sale, by Chinese herbalists in particular. This does bring out bitter and astringent flavors and so dried fruits are used more in teas, soups, and as a sweetener(1). Traditional uses as a remedy include using it for coughs, sore throats, stomach and intestinal issues, and constipation(2). China has long used monk fruit, furthermore, in cooling beverages(1,2) aiding with hot weather and fevers(1). It is now used as a low-calorie, natural sweetener extract which, when concentrated, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar(1,2).
It naturally regulates blood sugar, improves metabolism (which promotes improved body shape), has anti-inflammatory properties (including effectiveness with lung fibrosis), and promotes healthy bacteria. Leaves and fruit extracts combat numbers of pathogens as strep and candida which will cause gum disease and general bacterial infections. "The sugar to chemical sweeteners such as sucralose or aspartame does not provide same effect as" they actually mess up gut bacteria and promote the general growth of bad bacteria(2).
Regular (not one-time) monk fruit use is linked to reduced histamine response and therefore provides allergy relief. Antioxidants in monk fruit help prevent bodily tissue and cancer-causing DNA damage. Improved blood sugar response and control of high-cholesterol side effects promote heart health. Note: monk fruit may cause various allergic reactions.
Personal Product Favorite:
Monk-fruit-sweetened, natural energy drink
Sources:
1. Wikipedia contributors. "Siraitia grosvenorii." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Jul. 2020. Web. 12 Aug. 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siraitia_grosvenorii.
2. "Health Benefits of Monk Fruit." Health Benefits Times. Health Benefits Times. Web. 12 Aug. 2020. https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/monk-fruit/.
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