Lo Han

Botanical

What is it

Lo Han is an alternate transliteration of Luo Han Guo (Siraitia grosvenorii), the monk fruit, used as a non-nutritive sweetener and traditional remedy.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Sugar replacement in diabetes and weight management

Good Evidence

Mogrosides do not raise blood glucose; substituting for sugar reduces caloric and glycemic load.

How it works

The sweet compounds are mogrosides, primarily mogroside V, cucurbitane glycosides 250-300 times sweeter than sugar. They are minimally absorbed in the small intestine and pass to the colon for bacterial metabolism, so they do not raise blood glucose. In traditional Chinese medicine the fruit is used for cough and sore throat as a cooling demulcent.

Dosage

No RDA. Use as a sweetener to taste. FDA recognizes monk fruit extract as GRAS.

When and how to take it

WHEN: As needed for sweetness. HOW: Use as sugar substitute in beverages and recipes.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Monk fruit extract (mogroside V)

Pure powder or liquid drops.

Minimally absorbed.

Safety

Considered very safe. Animal toxicity studies show no acute toxicity at high doses.

Who should be cautious

Safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding at culinary doses. Cucurbit family allergy is rare but possible.

Interactions

No significant interactions reported.

Food sources

Whole monk fruit

Amount
1 fruit
%DV
—

Frequently asked questions

Is Lo Han the same as monk fruit?⌄

Yes. Lo Han is the transliterated Cantonese name.

References

Lo Han on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Lo Han (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.