Sugar Substitute 1: Monk Fruit - probably the best sweetener

Monk Fruit - probably the best sugar substitute for baking

Monk fruit, also known as Swingle fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii) or Lo Han Guo, is a small, melon-like fruit that has been cultivated in southern China for centuries. Named after the Buddhist monks who originally grew it, monk fruit is naturally very sweet. Depending on the mogroside content, monk fruit can be 100 to 250 times sweeter than sugar, with its sweetness coming from antioxidants present in the fruit.

Advantages of Monk Fruit 1:

1. Reduced Calories: Monk fruit sugar is metabolized differently from regular sugar, helping reduce caloric intake.

2. Blood Sugar Friendly: It does not affect blood sugar levels and can aid in glycemic control. It is a good option for people with diabetics, pre-diabetics and those low-calorie conscious individuals.

3. Anti-Inflammatory: Mogrosides, the sweetener in monk fruit sugar, have anti-inflammatory properties.

4. Efficiency: Being 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, only a small amount is needed, making it last longer than sugar.

5. Baking : It stays stable at high temperatures, making it suitable for baking 2

6. GRAS : The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified monk fruit as “generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” for everyone, including pregnant women and children. However, due to its recent introduction to the mass market, there are no long-term scientific studies on its effects.

Disadvantages of Monk Fruit 2:

1. Pricey : Monk fruit is difficult to cultivate, harvest, and dry. Additionally, it is costly to import and process, resulting in a higher price for monk fruit sweetener compared to other nonnutritive sweeteners.

2. Hardly Availability : It is hard to find fresh Monk fruit unless you go to a region where it is cultivated. Even there, it is seldom consumed fresh because it ferments and spoils quickly after being harvested. Usually, only dried Monk fruit can be found in some Asian markets.

Overall, Monk fruit is one of the best sugar substitutes for baking low carb products.

References

1. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-monk-fruit-sugar

2. https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/monk-fruit-health-benefits