What is Lo Han?
By: Melanie Rockett
Tags: Health, Food, Lifestyle, Diet, Weight Loss

Image courtesy of Pixabay

What is Lo Han?

Lo Han is a natural sweetener made from Monk Fruit.

Lo Han is diabetic friendly with zero carbs. Great for Keto, Paleo and Low Carb Diets.

Also known as Lo Han Quo, Luo Han Kuo, Swingle Fruit, or Monk Fruit.

What is it?

Lo Han sweetener is extracted from Monk Fruit, a plant that is a member of the cucumber and squash family. It is a small green-brown fruit with a hard but thin shell, grown in the mountains of Southern China. It is reported to be 250 times sweeter than sugar.

Just a bit of a tangent here. Sugar is pretty sweet right? So if something was twice as sweet, how would you know that? So how on earth do they measure something that is 250 or 1000 times sweeter than sugar? By weight? By volume? Or do “they” just say, “Oh this is soooooo sweet, it must taste 250 times sweeter than sugar!” I’m OK now, sometimes I just wonder about strange things!

Lo Han has been used for centuries, in China as a sweetener and as a home remedy for colds and sore throats.

Where can you find it?

You’ll have to visit a BIG city health food store for this, since it is not nearly as well-known as Splenda, Stevia or a few of the other alternatives. Lo Han comes in liquid and powder form and can be used as a cooking alternative. If your city has a China Town, you will probably find it in the larger stores. In my experience you will most likely find this sweetener labeled Monk Fruit.

Probably the easiest place to get Lo Han is from Amazon (affiliate link).

Taste Test:

Here’s where your genetics come into play. Some people say it is metallic and bitter. Other people say it has NO after taste at all! So if you are trying it for the first time, get the smallest amount you can, because metallic and bitter is NO fun at all. Brings licking copper pipes to mind!

If you’ve never licked a copper pipe, my advice is to NOT!

Is it safe?

Lo Han is accumulating a growing audience who rave about it. According to the Chinese who have been using it for hundreds of years, Lo Han is safe and effective.

There are virtually no studies for or against. Some people simply do not trust products sourced from China.

Great for Diabetics

Lo Han has a very LOW glycemic index ranking, which means it is good alternative for Diabetics. Unlike sweeteners such as Splenda, it will not affect your blood glucose readings. Other great choices for Diabetics include Stevia, Xylitol, Erythritol and Swerve.

Lo Han is stable in heat so you can use it in cooking and baking.

CONTROVERSY:

Other than the fact that it MAY come from China, I couldn’t find any studies, negative or positive.

Summary:

Lo Han is a sweetener made from Monk Fruit. It is a low-glycemic product that absorbs into your blood stream VERY slowly. It as a low to no impact on your blood sugar, so is an excellent choice for Diabetics.

This article was originally published on the Sugar-Free-Zone.com

Melanie Rockett has been a freelance writer for over 40 years. About 15 years ago she was diagnosed with Diabetes — and began a long journey of discovery. Today she lives a sugar-free life and has lost 120 pounds. Her website Sugar-Free-Zone.com is all about living sugar-free and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Do YOU want to live sugar-free? Get regular story updates as well as fabulous sugar-free recipes by joining the Sugar Free Zone on Medium newsletter. https://medium.com/sugar-free-zone

Here are a few other Diabetic Friendly sweeteners: