In recent times, stores and markets have been flooded with sugar substitutes. Their use is healthy and changes our overall view of what we eat. Oftentimes however, artificial sweeteners are linked with numerous diseases and certain types of cancer. For this reason, the search for natural sweeteners has begun.
One of the relatively unknown sugar substitutes is called the monk fruit, and it is absolutely delicious. Fans of it describe it as the best alternative. It is believed that soon it will sit alongside stevia.
The monk fruit comes from South China and is essentially a green, oval ball, similar to a melon. In its country of origin, it is widely used in folk medicine. It is used for sore throat, cough, flu and others.
The name of it comes from when the fruit was first used by Chinese monks during the 13th century. It is also associated with longevity, since the monk fruit originates from a region with a substantial amount of people who have reached and lived past 100 years.
The locals claim that the fruit only provides benefits if eaten in raw form.
It is possible, although difficult, to find monk fruit extract. Other substances are found in it however - sugar, molasses, sugar alcohol and others. Due to the growing interest, it is assumed that soon we will be able to easily obtain pure monk fruit.
Using monk fruit as a sweetener is a good idea but is not for everyone. Some people don't like it since they sense a slightly bitter and unpleasant aftertaste after consuming it. This is most likely due to individual taste receptors, because to others, the monk fruit immediately becomes a favorite sweetener. Those familiar with it share that the fruit can completely substitute sweets.
Sweeteners with monk fruit extract that can be bought today are not the most natural and pure. Still, if you are interested in natural substitutes, continue to inform yourself in this direction.
