Monk fruit powder contains 0 calories, 0 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of fat. The USDA has provided the following nutritional information. Although monk fruit powder is almost wholly carbohydrates, the amount in a single packet serving does not affect blood sugar levels. According to specific in vitro and animal studies, the sweetness in monk fruit comes from a chemical called mogroside, which may assist manage blood glucose metabolism. To know monk fruit nutrition facts, read further.
Even though monk fruit includes vitamins such as vitamin C, the powdered sweetener products manufactured from the fruit juice have no micronutrients. Lou Han Guo fruit extract, often known as monk fruit extract, is a relatively new addition to the sugar substitute market in the United States. Unlike some chemically manufactured sugar substitutes, Monk fruit extract is considered natural.
Monk Fruit Nutrition Facts
Monk fruit sweetener has no calories, which is precisely the idea. It also contains no carbohydrates2 and has a glycemic index of zero. 3 It is a suitable alternative for people with diabetes because it is not absorbed into the bloodstream and does not elevate blood sugar levels. Regarding health benefits, substituting monk fruit sweetener for sugar can help you consume fewer calories overall.
What is Monk Fruit Sweetener?
On the other hand, Monk fruit is grown to extract a chemical called mogrosides, which is 250 times sweeter than conventional sucrose (table sugar) while containing no calories.
The mogroside is a carbon and hydrogen molecule with some glucose molecules connected to it, and it acts in a sophisticated way. Our tongues perceive the sweetness of glucose, but it is not taken into our circulation; instead, it travels to the large intestine, where bacteria eat it. Because the fruit spoils quickly, it is rarely seen outside of China, and when dried, it takes on smells and scents that are considered unappealing.
How monk fruit sweetener is manufactured is washing the fruit, removing the skins, crushing the pulp, adding water to form a slurry, spinning to extract the liquid, then heating and filtering to produce a concentrated liquid. It’s dried into a crystal form and packaged after being treated with activated carbon and other ingredients to remove unwanted flavors.
Because it’s so much sweeter than sugar, just a tiny amount is required. Thus it’s usually mixed with inert materials to make it the same volume as sugar (although the relative sweetness can vary from brand to brand). It’s sometimes sold as a liquid that may be dropped into food and drinks.
Varieties of Monk Fruit
Monk fruit is usually offered powdered, similar to sugar, and it’s also available in liquid form, sometimes in combination with stevia or sugar alcohol. Monk fruit extract is 150 to 250 times sweeter than table sugar, but it contains no calories, does not elevate blood sugar, and antioxidants. Sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame-potassium are nonnutritive sugar replacements that can produce gas, bloating, and allergic responses. Monk fruit has no recognized adverse side effects.
Sugar alcohols are often preferred over nonnutritive sweeteners because they appear more “natural.” Xylitol, sorbitol, multirole, and erythritol are examples of sugar alcohols. Even though they are organic molecules generated from sugars, many sugar alcohols cause more digestive difficulties (in some people) than some nonnutritive sweeteners.
Stevia provides many of the same advantages as monk fruit, including zero calories, carbs, or sugars. Stevia leaves contain stevia glycosides compounds, 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar. Cost and availability are the key distinctions between stevia and monk fruit. Stevia sweeteners are cheaper than monk fruit sweets because they are easier to harvest.
How to Use Monk Fruit Sweetener?
Monk fruit sweetener can be used in baking, sweets, and beverages like coffee and tea precisely like regular sugar. Many monk fruit sweeteners are designed to be used 1:1 with sugar, meaning that one teaspoon is as sweet as one teaspoon of sugar. But double-check the label.
There are also liquid variants that can be dropped into water or carbonated water and coffee and tea. Some cooks minimize the amount of sugar in their food by using monk fruit sweetener for half of the sugar. By halving the sugar, the calories from sugar are cut in half while the usual sweetness of sugar is maintained.
Monk fruit sweeteners are available as powder or liquid. Consider these uses if you want to replace sugar with something more natural:
- Add it to coffee and tea as a sweetener.
- Substitute it for sugar in baking.
- Sprinkle it on breakfast items like oatmeal or yogurt.
- Incorporate it into salad dressings.
- Whip it into frosting or a mousse.
Monk fruit’s ultra-sweet flavor means that a little goes a long way. Also, check the packaging directions carefully before using them in your favorite recipes because each product is unique. It might not be a cup-for-cup match for sugar.
Can Monk Fruit Help you Lose Weight?
When combined with other weight-loss strategies, eating less sugar may help you lose weight. “Sugar is a source of empty calories or calories with no nutritional value. Substituting monk fruit for sugar is an excellent approach to minimize those empty calories.”
However, sugar substitutes are not a quick fix for weight loss. According to some research, Artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain by increasing sugar cravings and dependence. If you want to decrease calories or lose weight, focus on your complete diet; don’t rely on a sweetener alone to improve your health or aid weight reduction.
Is Monk Fruit Safe to Eat?
The United States Food and Drug Administration has designated monk fruit as “generally recognized as safe.” There are no known adverse effects. However, use monk fruit — or any other sweetener — in moderation. Just because something is GRAS doesn’t imply you should eat it every day. “Monk fruit is an excellent alternative for reducing sugar intake, but instead of eating a lot of zero-calorie sweeteners, focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.” Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are present in these foods, essential for optimum health.”
Before purchasing monk fruit sweeteners, read the ingredients list on the packaging. Many manufacturers include additional sugars with monk fruit extract even if the product is labeled “pure monk fruit,” many manufacturers include additional sugars with monk fruit extract. Some contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol that can cause bloating or stomach distress in some people.
What are the Health Benefits?
Like many other fruits, Monk fruit contains natural sugars, namely fructose and glucose. However, a separate molecule, a type of glycoside called mogroside, is responsible for the extreme sweetness. The term “glycoside” refers to a simple sugar compound, and Mogrosides are a unique antioxidant found in monk fruit glycosides.
Does Not Affect Blood Sugar
Because monk fruit sweetener contains no calories or sugar, it will not induce a blood sugar increase. Check the ingredients list on monk fruit products, though, as many goods and sweetener blends may still contain sugar or other substances that can alter blood glucose levels.
May Have Healing Effects on Cancer Patients
According to a study published in the journal oncogenes is in 2016, mogroside V derived from monk fruit increased cancer cell apoptosis (cell death) and “cell cycle arrest” in both in vitro and in vivo pancreatic cancer models, potentially via disrupting cancer cell communication. However, because this research was conducted on animals, further evidence is needed to demonstrate any clinical advantage in humans.
In addition, according to a 2011 animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the anti-inflammatory qualities of Momordica Grosvenor, a type of monk fruit, have anticancer and antidiuretic capabilities.
May Fight Inflammation
The anti-inflammatory effects of monk fruit are held by the same component that gives it its sweetness. According to a preliminary study in mice, the mogrosides in monk fruit have the potential to limit the proliferation of dangerous cells and prevent chronic disease.
Adverse Effects
Monk fruit and monk fruit extract have no recognized adverse effects. The fruit is classified as “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration. Everyone, even pregnant women and children, is considered safe. A study on the impact of monk fruit on the body in animals found no toxicity. The study’s subjects received massive doses of Luo Han guo extract, much more than monk fruit products, without side effects.
However, because monk fruit is still a relatively new addition to grocery store shelves, little study exists on the long-term impacts of monk fruit or monk fruit products. Furthermore, all of the experiments described here were conducted on animals, implying that further research is needed to assess human consequences. Monitor your particular response to monk fruit sweetener as you would any other product. You should probably stop using monk fruit if you have an allergic response.
Conclusion
Luo Han guo, also known as seriatim grosvenorii, is a southern Chinese and northern Thai gourd. It has the appearance of a little green melon. Although the fruit can produce jam or jelly, it is primarily a sweetener. Fresh fruit is very occasionally available outside of the growing regions. Dried monk fruit is available at select Asian supermarkets in the United States.
Monk fruit, like stevia, is a natural sweetener, but unlike stevia (which is derived from a leaf extract), monk fruit sweetness is derived from the fruit’s extract. Monk fruit sweetener is 200 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calories or carbs. It provides a sugary punch without any potential health risks connected with sugar and frequently substitutes for sugar. It does, however, have a flavor that people either enjoy or dislike.
