Nature’s Sweet Secret: 6 Health Benefits of Monk Fruit

October 10, 2023

Monk fruit is a healthy, sugar free sweetener with lots of good for you healthy benefits! These small green melons from southeast Asia have been used for centuries for their health benefits, and are now being used in this country as a healthy sugar free sweetener. Not only is monk fruit anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants, but this natural sweetener is zero-calorie and doesn’t raise your blood sugar. Sounds too good to be true, but it’s not! Learn more about the health benefits of monk fruit and why it is both keto and Further Food sugar detox approved below.

Monk fruit has recently been getting a lot of attention from the health community, and for good reason! The monk fruit, or lo han guo, is native to southern China and parts of Thailand and has been used for thousands of years to help treat colds and infections as well as a digestive aid.

Today, monk fruit extract made from dried monk fruit has become popular as a natural sweetener both because of its taste and health benefits.

Monk fruit has so much potential as an alternative natural sweetener. It has zero carbs and zero grams of sugar, making it the perfect sugar-free sweetener. And boy is it sweet! Monk fruit can taste as much as 250 times sweeter than regular table sugar! But you won’t get a blood sugar spike with monk fruit!

What makes monk fruit so sweet? While most fruit gets its sweetness from sugar, monk fruit gets its sweetness from natural compounds called mogrosides. Mogrosides are not metabolized like sugar and are not absorbed during digestion. This means no calories and no impact on blood sugar!

Plus, unlike other sweeteners and sugar substitutes, monk fruit doesn’t leave a bitter aftertaste or have unpleasant side effects such as gas and bloating. Monk fruit extract is FDA approved for everyone, including women and children.

Besides having a natural sweetness, monk fruit has been considered to be a fruit of longevity due to its health benefits. Read on to learn 6 Health Benefits of Monk Fruit!

6 Health Benefits of Monk Fruit

Monk fruit has anti-inflammatory properties

Consuming monk fruit is a great natural way to fight inflammation! Traditional Chinese Medicine used this fruit to soothe sore throats, remove phlegm, and relieve joint inflammation. Additionally, thanks to its extensive anti-inflammatory properties, monk fruit can help in treating other diseases and disorders by down-regulating key inflammatory genes and supporting inflammatory protective genes. The anti-inflammatory benefits of monk fruit also help this natural sweetener act as a natural coolant, which is particularly helpful for treating fevers or heat stroke.

2. Monk fruit is loaded with antioxidants

Foods high in antioxidants are great for anti-aging, and monk fruit is no exception. In fact, the mogrosides in monk fruit that we mentioned previously are actually powerful antioxidants. So not only do they give the fruit its exceptional sweetness, they also reduce free radical damage in the body! Indeed, studies have found that the mogrosides found in monk fruit can inhibit DNA oxidative damage rather significantly.

3. Monk fruit does not increase blood sugar

Even though monk fruit is exponentially sweeter than sugar, it does not increase blood sugars! Studies have shown that monk fruit does not fluctuate blood sugar in the same way as other natural sugars. Monk fruit as a sweetener has a low glycemic index, making monk fruit a great sugar alternative for people who are diabetics or anyone who doesn’t want to experience blood sugar spikes.

4. Monk fruit can promote weight loss

A lot of the high levels of obesity seen in Western countries are caused by high sugar intake. Replacing sugar with monk fruit sweetener is a healthier alternative, helping to fulfill those sugary cravings without compromising your health! Monk fruit extracts have been shown to be favorable for weight management because they support low energy dense diets: they’re calorie-free! Plus, monk fruit sweetener has no carbs and no fat. Interestingly, studies have found that monk fruit can work as a natural obesity treatment. This is apparently because some components of monk fruit prevent fat cells from maturing. While more research needs to be done, for now we know that replacing sugar with monk fruit sweetener can be a useful tool in promoting a healthy weight.

5. Monk fruit can help treat infections

Monk fruit has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries as a means of treating a sore throat or colds. This could be thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that monk fruit can play a role in inhibiting the growth of oral bacteria, which could cause tooth decay or other tooth diseases.

6. Monk fruit may help prevent and treat cancer

Considering monk fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties, it may help prevent and treat cancer. Indeed, monk fruit has been studied for its ability to inhibit tumor growth, including that of the skin and breasts. Monk fruit has also been used to help treat throat cancer and colorectal cancer in mice. While research is limited and ongoing, monk fruit’s potential for helping prevent and treat cancer is promising.

Why Monk fruit is a Superior Natural Sweetener

Besides all the health benefits described above, monk fruit is an approved natural sweetener for the keto diet and many sugar detoxes, including the Further Food Sugar Challenge. This is because as we’ve said above, monk fruit has NO carbs and NO calories, and even more, importantly monk fruit doesn’t raise your blood sugar levels. So you don’t have to worry about those ups and downs that occur from sugar and even some sugar substitutes.

Additionally, unlike monk fruit which provides health benefits and no effect on your blood sugar, some sugar substitutes are actually harmful! Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin can lead to the same health problems as sugar such as metabolic disorders, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes! Even worse, some scientific studies have linked some of the more common artificial sugar substitutes including saccharin and aspartame to an increased risk of cancer!

Besides these harmful health risks, these sugar substitutes can actually make you gain weight! While scientists are still studying the negative effects of artificial sweeteners, many have theorized that these sugar substitutes can cause changes in our gut bacteria which can lead to inefficient and unhealthy metabolism. So these sugar substitutes end up mimicking what sugar does to our body, leading to sugar cravings and overeating. The opposite of what you’re looking for when you choose a natural sweetener! For all these reasons, we recommend avoiding these sugar substitutes completely.

Another plant-based natural sweetener that is frequently used is stevia. Stevia is also a no-calorie and no-carb sweetener that can be used in keto diets and in the Further Food Sugar Detox. However, stevia has a strong aftertaste that some people do not like. Additionally, stevia can sometimes cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas and bloating, and thus should be used sparingly.

Monk fruit, on the other hand, is a natural alternative that provides health benefits without any damaging effects on your health with little added taste. Additionally, monk fruit is between 100-250 times sweeter than sugar, so you usually only need a little bit to satisfy your sweet tooth. And monk fruit is not associated with any known side effects, making it safe for the entire family!

What To Look For in a Monk Fruit Sweetener

Fresh monk fruit is rare, if not impossible, to find in the United States. Monk fruit extract, however, can be found at most health food and supermarkets. Make sure to read the labels though as some monk fruit sweeteners may have added sugars and fillers which you do not want or need; monk fruit is sweet enough on its own!

When using monk fruit sweeteners, we suggest you start with a small quantity to find the right sweetness balance for you. As we said, monk fruit sweeteners are very sweet, so you might need much less than you expect! We know you will love the taste and benefits of this natural sweetener-you might not even miss sugar!

Try monk fruit sweetener in these Turmeric Pancakes with low-carb syrup

or sip on a Hot Chocolate made with monk fruit sweetened Further Food Chocolate Collagen

SUMMARY:

Monk fruit are small green melons native to parts of China and Thailand.
Monk fruit extract contains no sugar, no carbohydrates, and are FDA-approved.
Monk fruit are exponentially sweeter than sugar and therefore are great as natural, zero-calorie sweeteners.
Monk fruit are anti-inflammatory and can be used to treat certain illnesses and bodily conditions that stem from inflammation.
They are also natural coolants.
Monk fruit does not increase blood sugar and is therefore generally safe for diabetics.
Monk fruit is considered a longevity fruit because it is packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals.
Monk fruit may help manage weight by supporting low energy-dense diets.
Monk fruit may help inhibit tumor growth of certain cancers.
Monk fruit is an approved natural sweetener in the Further Food Sugar Detox