The supersweet alternative to sugar that’s great for diabetics
The Monk fruit, or Siraitia grosvenorii, has a weird name and even more bizarre properties. This perennial vine native to southern China and northern Thailand is cultivated for its fruit which is ~300 times sweeter than sugar. However, unlike sugar, the Monk fruit doesn’t owe its sweetness to the natural sugars in it. Instead, it’s so sweet because of its unique antioxidants called mogrosides.
Not only does the Monk fruit have amazing antioxidant and anticancer properties[18,19] but the total lack of any carbs and calories in it is also great for our blood sugar levels[20,21]. These benefits are also due to the mogrosides’ ability to stimulate insulin secretion in our beta cells[22].
Do be careful with Monk fruit extracts, however, as they are often mixed with other sweeteners – always take a careful look at the product’s label before purchasing.