Sweetener from monk fruit
Ms. Vriti Srivastav, a nutritionist in Andheri East, Mumbai (India) - said that, like stevia (a zero-calorie sweetener), the sweetener from monk fruit is a natural sweetener including mogrosides, a compound that is about 150-250 times sweeter than sugar.
“Monk fruit sweetener is considered safe and is on the GRAS list (generally recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration). Since it is sweeter than sugar, monk fruit is recommended to be consumed in small amounts,” said Vriti Srivastav.
Although this sweetener is safe to use and no unpleasant side effects have been reported, each person's reaction to this sweetener may vary, depending on allergies or a history of gastrointestinal disease.
The link between monk fruit and heart disease
Nutritionist Srivastav notes that this is a relatively new sweetener and is still being researched for long-term use.
“Studies on monk fruit and its safety have been conducted in animal models. There are very few or no studies on its digestion and effects on children and pregnant women. Therefore, these two sensitive groups should limit their consumption of monk fruit,” Ms. Srivastav emphasized.
Nutritionist Srivastav also added that because monk fruit is not fermented, it does not cause digestive disorders when compared to other sugars such as erythritol. However, monk fruit is often combined with the sugar alcohol erythritol to achieve the same sweetness as sugar.
“A study conducted in the United States and Europe found that excessive consumption of this sugar alcohol is associated with heart disease. Therefore, when buying monk fruit sweeteners, you should look for sweeteners whose only ingredient is monk fruit extract without added erythritol,” Srivastav noted.
According to Dr. Vikas Kohli, founder of Child Heart Foundation (India), long-term use of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), including sweeteners from monk fruit, can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death.
Therefore, reducing added sugar intake and incorporating more whole foods with natural sugars, such as fruits and vegetables, may contribute to improved heart health.
