Monk Fruit

Siraitia grosvenorii, commonly known as luohan fruit, monk fruit or swingle fruit, is a herbaceous perennial vine of the gourd family, native to southern China. The vine reaches 3 to 5 metres, climbing by tendrils, with narrow, heart-shaped leaves. The fruit is round or oblong, 4 to 8 centimetres across, smooth and yellow-brown, with an edible pulp. It is grown mainly in Guangxi, near Guilin, and the plant is cultivated for an extract containing mogrosides. Mogroside V tastes about 250 times sweeter than sucrose, and the extract is used as a low-calorie sugar substitute for drinks and in traditional Chinese medicine. The inside of the fruit is eaten fresh and the rind is used to make tea. The Chinese name luóhàn guǒ means arhat fruit, after the Buddhist monk who has reached enlightenment. The species name honours Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor.