Monk Fruit: Alternative to Sugar
Monk Fruit: Alternative to SugarSugar is the sweet, silent killer linked to many chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and many more. And though it is still a multi-billion-dollar commodity, more and more people are now becoming aware of its harmful effects, thus, the rise of alternative sweeteners.
Some alternative products in the market today, such as agave nectar, aspartame, or sucralose, claim to be better and healthier than sugar. However, these common substitutes may be wolves in sheep’s clothing. For example, aspartame in diet sodas has been linked to symptoms like malaise, headache, or abdominal pain. Some studies show it can be toxic when mixed with common food coloring. Agave nectar may be good if it is pure and natural, but in reality, those commercially available agaves are often made up of at least 70% fructose. Lastly, sucralose (better known as the brands Splenda, Sukrana, Candys, or Nevella) is processed using chlorine and is a source of water pollution.
Real and natural sweeteners are, therefore, the way to go!
Raw honey, stevia, and molasses are popular healthy replacements. These three all have their benefits supported by science and research. But another less known natural sweetener may even be better than them – the monk fruit, Luo Han Guo.
What is Monk Fruit
Luo Han Guo is a small, round fruit widely planted in the southern regions of Southern China. This herb with the scientific name, Siraitia grosvenorii is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. Its Chinese and English names were coined after the Buddhist monks (called luohan) who grew the plant many centuries ago.
The flesh of monk fruit can be eaten fresh, but it is often sold dry because it is difficult to store. The fruits are usually oven-dried and then used to make tea or soup.
It has been a therapeutic herb in traditional Chinese medicine since the 13 th century. Monk fruit moistened lungs, cleared heat, and stopped cough. It was also used for gastrointestinal relief as it is believed to moisten the intestines, thus regulating bowel movement and relieving constipation.
Despite its use for hundreds of years, it was only in the last two decades that the monk fruit has been commercially used as a sweetener. Monk fruit is crushed to get the fruit extract after removing the skin and seeds. Extracts can also be derived from dried monk fruits. Raw monk fruit concentrate needs further processing for longer storage and eliminating many additional flavors. Before its commercial extraction and manufacturing were patented by Procter & Gamble in 1995, inferior methods were used to homogenize, treat, and then pasteurize the monk fruit extract. When the patent expired in 2013, many other companies then used more sophisticated processes to produce monk fruit sweeteners in liquid, granule, and powder forms.
Monk fruit sweeteners are as much as 250 times sweeter than table sugar without the high carbs that come with the sugar. It has zero calories and zero carbs. It has been classified as “generally classified as safe” or GRAS by the FDA in the US. Even diabetics and pregnant women can consume monk fruit sweeteners because they do not raise blood glucose levels. Unlike most fruits, what makes this one so sweet is the abundance of specific antioxidants called mogrosides.
What are the Components of Monk Fruit?
What makes monk fruit a healthy alternative to sugar are its natural components. Although more research is needed to find out the exact nutritional breakdown of the fruit, we already know that it is packed with the following:
- Mogrocides 1 to 5
- Kaempferol
- Cucurbitacins
- Triterpene glycosides
The monk fruit also contains vitamin C and polysaccharide fibers.
5 Health Benefits of Monk Fruit
1. Anti-inflammatory
2. Antioxidant
3. Anti-tumorigenic and anti-fibrotic
4. Analgesic
5. Anti-obesity
Anti-inflammatory
The monk fruit is probably most famous for its anti-inflammatory effects. Before science had broken down its components and explained its potency, Chinese medicine practitioners had already been using it as a natural anti-inflammatory and antihistamine to cure sore throats, relieve digestive distress, and cool heat stroke. Completely the opposite of sugar, which triggers or worsens inflammation, monk fruit initiates a response against inflammation through the action of mogrocides and cucurbitacin. Mogrocides down-regulate the expressions of inflammatory genes and up-regulate inflammation-protective genes. Cucurbitacin also inhibits the action of COX-2 enzymes and reactive nitrogen species.
Antioxidant
Aside from fighting inflammation, mogrocides are also effective against oxidative stress as they reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species and regulate the expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism. Kaempferol found in monk fruit, also serves as an effective antioxidant because it scavenges superoxide anion, hypochlorous acid, chloramine, and nitric oxide in the body. Monk fruit’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities are probably the reason why it is called the fruit of longevity. These properties boost the immune system, keeping infections and illnesses at bay.
Anti-tumorigenic and anti-fibrotic
You probably have heard about the belief that “sugar feeds cancer”. And though it is a highly controversial claim which still needs to be qualified, there is great truth to it. That’s another compelling reason to choose monk fruit over other available sweeteners. The cucurbitacin and triterpene glycoside available in the fruit exhibits potent anti-cancer, anti-tumorigenic, and anti-fibrotic properties. Numerous studies have already proven that cucurbitacin helps prevent the migration and invasion of metastatic cancer cells. Triterpene glycoside, on the other hand, slows down apoptosis or cell death while inhibiting cell proliferation, colony formation, and tumor invasion.
Analgesic
Cucurbitacin and flavonioids like kaempferol, both found in monk fruit, are natural analgesics that have antinociception properties allowing for the blockage or reduction of painful stimulus transmitted to sensory neurons. There have also been studies associating cucurbitacin to faster wound healing.
Anti-obesity
Sugar is the most common culprit of obesity. Consumption of calorie-sweetened beverages and processed food with refined sugar plays a role in increasing body weight, developing metabolic syndromes, sleep disorders, fatty liver disease, and other health conditions. Replacing sugar with luo han guo is a good start in changing the sweet diet. Not only does it help regulate blood sugar levels, it also helps counter adipose tissue inflammation and other inflammation-related conditions associated with obesity.
Why don’t we just all use monk fruit for sweetening, then?
1. It’s hard to find.
This is probably the reason why the monk fruit has not been as popular as it should be, despite all its benefits. The monk fruit is challenging to grow, harvest, and dry. Processing and importing the fruit has also not been easy, making monk fruit sweeteners a little more expensive than their natural contemporaries. The good thing is that a number of monk fruit sweetener brands are now available on Amazon. Accessibility is no longer a problem.
2. Some may be allergic to monk fruit
People with allergies to produce from the Cucurbitaceae family, like squash, watermelon, cucumber, and zucchini, may also have issues with the monk fruit.
3. Some say there is an aftertaste
As raw and fresh fruit, luo han guo is said to have a sulfuric taste. And even after processing, some say it still has a distinct, slightly bitter, aftertaste. Taste is relative. And since monk fruit is unknown to many, it may take a little longer to get accustomed to it. I have products in which the monk fruit has been overdone and found the aftertaste to be somewhat similar to stevia, but if when I sweeten something myself, aiming for less sweet I don’t notice an aftertaste at all.
Which monk fruit sweetener should I get?
Despite the benefits of monk fruit in general, not all monk fruit sweeteners are created equal. As you try to buy your own bottle, watch out for maltodextrin. This powder derived from starch is often used as a thickener or preservative in processed goods. Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide (a form of sugar) that can spike blood sugar counteracting the good effects of monk fruit. It also has no nutritional value and may cause allergic reactions since it is often made from corn, wheat, or potato starch.
Out of the many brands available in the market, we recommend the Pure Monk ( Monk Fruit ) 100 Servings 3.5 oz Paleo Sugar-Free Sweetener
. It is maltodextrin-free, made of 25% mogroside 5, with no additives. There may be other options if you’re in the mood for exploring. Just remember to read your labels and make sure that you get the most benefits from this super sweetener.
All products mentioned are available on Amazon.
A Taste of Passion – A Fabulous Dessert Using Monk Fruit
1 can of thick coconut cream
2 ripe passion fruit or 4 large ripe strawberries
1/8 tsp monk fruit
Berries
When looking for a can of coconut cream choose one with as little liquid as you can. When you shake the can, you should hear no liquid. And buy organic with as few additives as possible. Guar gum is common and does work if the cream is thick, but otherwise tends to hinder the whip.
Chill the can of coconut cream in the refrigerator for 5-12 hours. If you do find to find a really thick can, 2 hours is enough. Chill the mixing bowl as well. You may want to try Natural Value Organic Coconut Milk, 13.5 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)
or you can also get Native Forest Organic Premium Coconut Cream, Unsweetened, 5.4 Ounce (Pack of 12)
.
Scoop the pulp of the passion fruit into the bowl, add the monk fruit, and whip to soft peaks. I left the seeds in. They can, of course, be removed with some effort.
Keep covered in the refrigerator until just before serving.
Scoop 1-2 Tablespoons into each dish and sprinkle with berries.
Note: Although coconut is generally a fat that people with impaired fat digestion can handle, I don’t recommend you try this recipe until you are symptom-free. And, as with all indulgences, minimalism is the key!
Want Gallbladder News & Health Tips Delivered Straight To Your Inbox? Sign Up Here!
References:
Abdelwahab, S. I., Hassan, L. E. A., Sirat, H. M., Yagi, S. M. A., Koko, W. S., Mohan, S., … & Rais, M. M. (2011). Anti-inflammatory activities of cucurbitacin E isolated from Citrullus lanatus var. citroides: role of reactive nitrogen species and cyclooxygenase enzyme inhibition. Fitoterapia, 82(8), 1190-1197.
Alghasham, A. A. (2013). Cucurbitacins–a promising target for cancer therapy. International journal of health sciences , 7(1), 77.
Aminin, D. L., Menchinskaya, E. S., Pisliagin, E. A., Silchenko, A. S., Avilov, S. A., & Kalinin, V. I. (2015). Anticancer activity of sea cucumber triterpene glycosides. Marine drugs , 13(3), 1202-1223.
Di, R., Huang, M. T., & Ho, C. T. (2011). Anti-inflammatory activities of mogrosides from Momordica grosvenori in murine macrophages and a murine ear edema model. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , 59(13), 7474-7481.
Oridupa, O. A., Saba, A. B., Adesanwo, J. K., & Oyebanji, B. O. (2013). Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of a cucurbitacin isolated from Lagenaria breviflora Roberty fruit. African journal of medicine and medical sciences, 42(3), 223-230.
Parveen, Z., Deng, Y., Saeed, M. K., Dai, R., Ahamad, W., & Yu, Y. H. (2007). Antiinflammatory and analgesic activities of Thesium chinense Turcz extracts and its major flavonoids, kaempferol and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside. Yakugaku Zasshi, 127(8), 1275-1279.
Shukla, S., Sinha, S., Khan, S., Kumar, S., Singh, K., Mita, K.,…Meeran, S.M. (2016) Cucurbitacin B inhibits the stemness and metastatic abilities of NSCLC via downregulation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis. Scientific Reports volume 6, Article number: 21860.
Vellosa, José Carlos Rebuglio, Regasini, Luis O., Khalil, Najeh Maissar, Bolzani, Vanderlan da Silva, Khalil, Omar A. K., Manente, Francine Alessandra, Pasquini Netto, Harli, & Oliveira, Olga M. M. de Faria. (2011). Antioxidant and cytotoxic studies for kaempferol, quercetin and isoquercitrin. Eclética Química, 36(2), 07-20.
Xu, Q., Chen, S. Y., Deng, L. D., Feng, L. P., Huang, L. Z., & Yu, R. R. (2013). Antioxidant effect of mogrosides against oxidative stress induced by palmitic acid in mouse insulinoma NIT-1 cells. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research , 46(11), 949-955.
