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Monk Fruit: The Superfood You Won’t See On Store Shelves

There’s one big reason why you can’t find raw monk fruit, even at natural food supermarkets. The fresh green fruit ferments rapidly after it’s picked, turning brown and rancid, so understandably, the demand for – and usefulness of – fresh monk fruit is extremely limited. And it must be processed soon after it’s harvested, in order to maximize the quality and effectiveness of its extract.

The true importance of this superfood, though, is the sweetener that commercial producers manufacture.

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 A New Study Links Stevia and Monk-Fruit Sweeteners With Heart Disease

The sweeteners contain erythritol, which has been linked to stroke, heart attacks, and blood clotting.

 Monk fruit is popular but rare. This new Durham startup has a sweet solution

The extract from monk fruit has become somewhat of a no-calorie celebrity in the burgeoning $8 billion global market for sugar substitutes. The fruit is extremely sweet — and rare.

 Monk fruit vs. Stevia…are they better than Sugar?

When you consume anything sweet, regardless if that food has calories or sugar, your body will still react to that food by releasing insulin. For foods like stevia and monk fruit, the insulin spike is even higher because they are so much sweeter than cane sugar. Gradually, your body could become insulin resistant if you are consuming stevia or monk fruit several times per day. Meaning that your insulin is always spike and never stable. Additionally, stevia and monk fruit are usually mixed with erythritol. Because of this, the benefits these sweeteners have is outweighed by the harm that erythritol causes to the gut microbiome.

Articles of Interest

Everything You Need To Know About Monk Fruit Sweeteners

Monk fruit, also known as lo han guo or Swingle fruit, is a small round fruit native to southern China. Monk fruit sweeteners are no-calorie sweeteners that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars, while still providing satisfaction to enjoy the taste of something sweet. Some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie — such as aspartame, and others are no-calorie (e.g., monk fruit sweeteners, stevia sweeteners and sucralose)

Fruits You Probably Haven’t Heard of—but Might Soon

Will baobab, breadfruit, monk fruit and jackfruit take off in the U.S. like kale and quinoa? These entrepreneurs hope so.

In Search of…The ‘Superfruit’

Known for it’s natural sweetness, monk fruit–which is common in China–has grown in popularity as a way to reduce calories and sugar. More brands are using the extract as a calorie-free sweetener. One thing to remember about exotic fruits like monk fruit that come from far off places — you’re not likely to find them fresh. Instead, most are added to higher calorie products or turned into extracts or dietary supplements, which don’t have all the healthful benefits of the whole fruit.

Is Monk Fruit Healthy? Or a Food Fad?

However, the research is in its infancy. Asians have used monk fruit for centuries, but monk fruit extract is relatively new. We don’t know any long-term side effects yet. Our Western diets drown us in added sugar! While our kids may love our sugar-soaked society, it’s up to us to find a better way to nourish our bodies. Monk fruit extract is a great alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners for your health. In fact, the only cereal my family eats is sweetened by (you guessed it) monk fruit! Having read through the science and studies, I feel that monk fruit extract is a safe and healthy choice for my family.

Is Monk Fruit Sweetener Good or Bad for You?

One of the most popular sweetener alternatives is Stevia. But recently, the lesser-known monk fruit sweetener is gaining more attention. It has been around and available for decades but has only recently grown in popularity.

Is Monk Fruit Sweetener the New Stevia?

Monk fruit hasn’t been widely researched, but what we do know seems promising. For one, if you’re looking for sweetness without the glycemic overload (and risky health side effects), monk fruit really is your best bet. As Dr. Best notes, “Monk fruit can benefit anyone wanting a low calorie sweetener with added benefits — especially those who would otherwise use table sugar to get the sweetness they desire.”

Keto Dieters Love This Low-Carb Sugar Substitute—but Is It Worth the Hype?

While monk fruit extract may be a healthier choice compared to sugar and many other artificial sweeteners, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should add it to all of your meals, says Cara Harbstreet, M.S. R.D. L.D., of Street Smart Nutrition. Like anything, moderation is key.

Monk Fruit Side Effects & Safety: Why It Can Be Bad For You

The takeaway? Monk fruit, stevia, as well as artificial non-caloric sweeteners like Splenda, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal, and NutraSweet don’t influence blood sugar in and of themselves. However, the consumption of these empty calories may lead to binge eating later on, which in turn, could result in higher postprandial glucose and insulin responses. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, such wild swings will wreck havoc on your health. Monk fruit is still good for you but it’s important to be cognizant of this side effect.

Monk Fruit Sweetener Benefits and Drawbacks, According to Dietitians

Looking to limit your intake of white sugar? Then monk fruit sweetener might be a smart staple to keep in your pantry.

Monk Fruit vs. Stevia: Which is Better (or Worse!) For You? An RD Answers

We all know that sugar is bad for you, but are you doing yourself any favors when you reach for an alternative sweetener? Some people swear by stevia but that has its own downfalls. Then there's Monk Fruit, which has recently gained traction as an "all-natural" alternative – but does this fruit's nutritional profile live up to the hype?

Monk Fruit: Alternative Sweetener that Rivals Stevia

What makes the extract so sweet? While monk fruit contains glucose and fructose, these are not what give monk fruit its magic. Rather it is a family of chemicals called mogrosides. These substances are similar to those found and stevia. They are intensely sweet with a very slight aftertaste. This makes monk fruit extract similar to stevia extracts, albeit with a very different flavor. The two alternative sweeteners are often compared and contrasted for this reason.

Monk Fruit: Nature’s Best Sweetener?

Monk fruit sweetener has been celebrated as a revolutionary way to sweeten foods and drinks without the harmful effects of traditional sugar and certain sugar substitutes.

The Plus Factor: and Why There’s Monk Fruit in Our Logo

The substitution sweetener game is nothing new. (Remember the Splenda craze in the early 2000s?) For the past few years, stevia, from the leaf, has been the alt sweetener of choice, but lately a new one is taking over: monk fruit.

What's Up with Monk Fruit and the Whole Food Sweetener Trend?

Everybody seems to be looking for info on monk fruit and whole food sweeteners. But are these sugar alternatives really better for you?

Why Monk Fruit Extract Is The Superfood Sweetener You Need

We’ve all heard of zero-calorie sugar-alternative sweeteners like Stevia and Splenda over the years, right along with their questionable side effects. If you’re looking to sweeten up the new decade with a sweetener that’s 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, safe for diabetes, boasts little to no weird, bitter aftertaste and has no proven harmful side effects -- Say hello to monk fruit!