Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), or "Luo Han Guo" in Chinese, is a small round fruit originating in the south of China. It has a long history of application in traditional Chinese medicine. Monk fruit is rich in Mogroside, which is different from aspartame and acesulfame. It is a natural sweetener, which is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Because it has almost no calories and does not affect blood sugar, it will not bring a burden to diabetic patients and obese people. It is widely used in beverages, fruit juices, desserts, sweets, and other products.
The safety of monk fruit extract has been confirmed by health agencies in countries around the world, including: China, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and Health Canada. In 2010, the United States Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), decided that monk fruit extract, with a content of 7 to 95% Mogroside V, is 'generally recognized as safe' (GRAS). In other words, it can be used as an ingredient in all kinds of foods and drinks.
Monk fruit has special requirements for its growth environment. It can only grow in southern China and someplace in northern Thailand. Guangxi, China is the largest producing area of Monk fruit, accounting for over 90% of the world's output. At present, the global average annual output of Monk fruit is only about 100 million pcs.
