An Introduction to the Benefits, Effects and Common Ways to Use Monk Fruit

Monk fruit is the dried fruit of the Cucurbitaceae plant Siraitia grosvenorii, mainly produced in the warm, humid mountainous regions of Guangxi and elsewhere, and it has long been known as the "oriental divine fruit." Its shape is mostly round or oval, with a thin, brittle rind and soft, loose flesh inside; after sun-drying or low-temperature drying it keeps well for long-term storage and transport.

The most striking feature of monk fruit is its intense sweetness with a low sugar burden; its sweetness comes mainly from mogrosides, which are natural sweetening compounds, and it is often used as a sugar substitute. In traditional Chinese medicine, monk fruit is cool in nature and sweet in taste, entering the Lung and Large Intestine meridians, and is commonly used to clear heat and moisten the lungs, soothe the throat and restore the voice, and lubricate the intestines to relieve constipation; it is often used in daily conditioning for dry throat and thirst, dry cough from lung heat, and constipation from intestinal dryness.

The most common everyday way to consume it is as an infusion in water. Take an appropriate amount of monk fruit, crush it, and steep it in hot water; the tea is clear, sweet and with a lingering aftertaste, suitable for teachers, streamers and others who use their voice a lot, and it can also be brewed together with chrysanthemum, boat sterculia seed and the like. In addition, monk fruit can be used in soups and congee to add natural sweetness to dishes.

It should be noted that although monk fruit is a food-medicine dual-use ingredient and has recorded benefits in traditional medicine, drinking it as an infusion cannot replace medical treatment, and if you feel unwell you should seek medical attention promptly. Monk fruit is cool in nature, so people with spleen-stomach deficiency cold or a tendency to diarrhea should not drink it in large amounts over a long period. When buying, choose fruit that is plump, evenly colored, and makes no obvious rattling sound when shaken; store it in a cool, dry place.