You probably reach for something like an apple or banana when you’re craving natural sweetness. But scientists just laid out a case for another option that’s probably not even on your radar: monk fruit.
While monk fruit is mostly used as a sweetener in the US, it’s an actual fruit that can be prepared and eaten a few different ways. (Also called luo han guo, it’s native to China and belongs to the gourd family.) According to new research, monk fruit is packed with nutrients that could support your health in a few different ways.
Sure, monk fruit isn’t something you’ll find at every grocery store. But if you happen to come across the fruit or its extract, nutritionists say it’s worth adding to your cart. Here’s why.
Monk fruit is packed with good-for-you ingredients.
The study, which was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, examined four different types of monk fruit, with researchers analyzing their pulps and peels. The scientists discovered that monk fruit offers a wide range of bioactive compounds like antioxidants, plant metabolites, and amino acids (which are the building blocks of proteins and support tissue repair).
Monk fruit also has a lot of secondary metabolites, which are natural plant chemicals that can have a positive impact on your health. The researchers discovered that monk fruit has plenty of terpenoids, or compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; flavonoids, which can reduce oxidative stress in the body; and amino acids.
The researchers also found that the metabolites in monk fruit interact with pathways in the body linked to cancer, suggesting that eating monk fruit may lower your risk of developing the disease. The researchers concluded that developing and using more products derived from monk fruit may be beneficial to health.
It’s not clear if you’ll get the same health perks from monk fruit sweeteners.
Monk fruit extracts are used as a sugar alternative in a range of foods, like yogurts, baked goods, and protein shakes. But you can also just buy monk fruit sweeteners to use in things like your coffee and tea.
Research has found that monk fruit extract can help with blood sugar management, reducing glucose levels after you eat by up to 18%. It also doesn’t seem to have any bad side effects. As a result, one analysis of clinical trials on monk fruit determined that its extract “shows potential as a functional food ingredient for metabolic health.”
