Monk fruit, otherwise known as Luo Han Guo or Swingle fruit, is a small green melon that is definitely not foreign to most people who had tried herbal tea. Monk fruit is native to regions of Southeast Asia, mostly in Thailand and China.
What is it?
The monk fruit refers to the dried fruit grown on the herbaceous perennial vine, and its given scientific name is Siraitia grosvenorii. Its TCM nature is cool and is associated with the lungs and large intestine.
Fun fact: The monk fruit was actually named after the Buddhist monks who first cultivated it. The monks discovered this fruit and cultivated it for its sweetness and healing properties as they meditated and lived on the misty mountains of Guilin, China.
What are its benefits?
The monk fruit is often used as a natural sweetener as it has zero sugar, zero carbohydrates, and zero calories. Which makes it well-loved by health enthusiasts and diabetic patients. According to TCM, monk fruit helps to clear heat, moistens the lungs, alleviates sore throat and dry cough, as well as relieves constipation.
Who does it benefit and who should avoid it?
Due to its ability to clear heat and lubricate its associated organs, it is especially useful for people with yin deficiency body constitution, as well as people with dry/prolonged cough, sore throat & constipation. It is also generally suitable for individuals with a neutral/balanced constitution to consume in moderation.
Because of its cooling properties, the following group of people should generally avoid or consume less of the fruit:
People with weak or cold stomach/spleen
Ladies on their period
Pregnant mothers
*Do consult your TCM physician if you are unsure on whether you can or how frequently you can consume the monk fruit.
What to make?
Monk fruit tea: (x1 monk fruit) Remove the skin and break the monk fruit into small pieces. Boil at low heat for 5 minutes or steep in boiling water for 15 minutes.
Monk fruit jelly: (x1 monk fruit & jelly powder as per packaging instructions) Using the monk fruit tea, add in jelly powder and leave to cool.
Selection Criteria
A good quality monk fruit has all or most of the following criteria:
Perfectly round with no cracks
Big in size
Sturdy
Doesn't make any sound when shaken
Yellowish-brown in color
Following the above criteria, our top pick is the monk fruits from APC e-store. You can choose to purchase from their Shopee, Lazada, or Qoo10 store.
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