Lo Han Kuo Beverage Sweetener
Botanical: Momordica grosvenori; Also known as: Luo Han Guo

Knowledgeable consumers in Southern China and parts of East Asia have used this remarkable natural remedy for hundreds of years to promote Respiratory health and to provide relief from respiratory ailments. To this day grandmothers in the region will make long-boil soup with Luo Han Kuo at the first sign of Cough, Congestion or Sore Throat, Colitis, Constipation, in the family. LHK moisturizes and nourishes the respiratory system to help maintain healthy function. It is a natural Expectorant and helps clear the lungs of airborne pollutants. It was thought that it had a positive influence in Purifying the Blood and reducing the effects of chronic conditions. We now know through research that LHK contains Antioxidants which benefit Immune function and the body's ability to maintain healthy balance. Luo Han Kuo contains mogrosides which are some 200 times sweeter than sugar. Despite this concentrated sweetness LHK is low glycemic and can be safely used by Diabetics.


History:
Luo Han Kuo is a vine-growing fruit which grows exclusively in parts of Southwest China predominantly in Guangxi province. Modern efforts to grow it outside this region have been largely unsuccessful. It is uniquely suited to its environment. Luo Han Kuo grew wild throughout the mountainous terrain of Southwest China. Historic Chinese writings reference Song Dynasty monks brewing LHK for medicinal beverages over 800 years ago. By 1800 Luo Han Kuo was a broadly cultivated crop in the region. During its hundreds of years of continuous use Luo Han Kuo's healthy benefits have largely been defined by the reputation it developed with the people who used it. It has been well recognized as a remedy for any and all respiratory ailments. It is also a natural antitussive. Over many generations LHK earned a reputation as a "purifying agent."

During the Tang Dynasty, Guilin was a major Buddhist retreat area with many temples. The fruit (guo, a term used mainly for gourd-like fruits) is named after the luohan, which are advanced Buddhist practitioners (in India, they are called arhats) The story told in China is that knowledge of this fruit first emerged from monks who were using it during the 13th Century. Due to its limited natural growing area (mainly mountain sides in Guangxi and Guangdong; to a much lesser extent, in Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Hainan Island), and difficulty in cultivating it successfully.

The herb became more prominent during the 20th century. One early English-language report on it is an unpublished manuscript written in 1938 by Professor G.W. Groff and Hoh Hin Cheung. The fruits were reported to be frequently used as the main ingredient in cooling drinks (that is, drinks consumed to counteract hot weather, fever, or disorders described in the tradition as warm or hot in nature). The juice of fresh fruits was known to be very sweet. Groff and Hoh noted that the "luohan fruit of commerce, when cooked with pork or steeped with tea, provides a common Chinese household remedy for colds and congestion of the lungs." They confirmed through interviews that the fruit had only become extensively used in China in recent history.

Dried fruit may be bought in the city markets. The outer surface of the dried fruit is round and smooth, dusty yellow-brown or dusty green-brown. It is covered with fine, soft hair. The fruit is covered by a hard but thin shell. Inside is a partly dry, flexible substance containing the juice, as well as a large number of seeds. The skin, juicy part, and seeds all have a good sweet flavor.

Beneficial Uses:

Moistens the Lungs Cools, Sore Throat, Cough, Congestion Eliminates Phlegm.

Moistens the Intestines, Colitis, Constipation, Promotes bowel movements.

Diabetes, Hypoglycemia,

Digestion,

Longevity, Stress,

Sweet Cravings, Weight Loss

Generates Body Fluids

Its nature is cool, and it has no poison.

The fruit helps relieve sunstroke.

Standard Dosage: Dissolve 1 cube in hot water take as needed.

Contraindications: None as a food. Use with caution in loose stools diarrhea.


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Disclaimer: The information presented herein by Organic Herbs Medicine Cabinet is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.
Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.