Can Monk Fruit Combat COVID, Diabetes, and Cancer?
Following in stevia ’s footsteps, monk fruit has gained widespread attention as a natural sweetener. One significant benefit of this sweetener is that it can manage blood sugar and lipid levels. It also might have antiviral effects against COVID-19 and even anti-cancer properties. Monk fruit is also known as luo han guo, and its fruit resembles a small melon on the outside. Ancient Chinese people have used it for centuries as a natural sweetener and traditional medicine . According to a review article in Frontiers in Pharmacology, monk fruit contains various nutritious compounds , including mogrosides, vitamin C, trace elements, linolenic acid, and other unsaturated fatty acids. “Monk fruit does actually contain natural sugars. Those are mainly fructose and glucose. However, unlike most fruit, the natural sugars from monk fruit aren’t really responsible for the sweetness. Instead, the intense sweetness comes from a group of compounds called mogrosides,” Taylor Wallace, an adjunct ...