The main component of Luo Han Guo Extract (monk fruit extract) is mogroside, which is 240 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Despite its high sweetness, Luo Han Guo extract contains almost no calories and is especially suitable for diabetics and people who need to control their weight. At the same time, it is recognized as a safe food additive by many countries and regions such as the United States, Japan, the European Union, and Australia. Furthermore, it plays a variety of roles in the food industry.
As a sweetener, Luo Han Guo extract is widely used in food and beverages as a sweetener, providing them with natural and healthy sweetness, replacing or reducing the use of traditional sweeteners and flavors. Due to Luo Han Guo extract contains almost no sugar, it becomes an ideal substitute for sugar-free food and beverages, which is essential for dental health and oral hygiene, while still satisfying people’s passion for sweets.
As a food processing aid, it helps to improve the texture and stability of food during processing. The sugar content increases the moistness of food, enhances the texture and chewing of food, and thus improves the taste. Its antioxidant and antibacterial properties help prevent the oxidation of oils and fats in food and inhibit the growth of microorganisms, thereby extending the shelf life of food and maintaining the freshness of food.
As a health product, the health benefits of Luo Han Guo extract are used to develop functional foods or nutritional supplements. Which make it suitable for various health foods and nutritional supplements, such as vitamin and mineral supplements. By inhibiting the activity of α-glucosidase, it slows down the rate of carbohydrate decomposition and regulates sugar metabolism. Additionally，Luo Han Guo extract has been treating as Chinese traditional medicine to cure diseases like high blood pressure, acute and chronic tracheitis, acute and chronic tonsillitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, gastritis, whooping cough and so on for thousands of years.