罗汉果

罗汉果 ( pronounced luo han guo in Mandarin, literary means ‘monk’s fruit’ ) is the dried fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii, an herbaceous perennial vine native to Sourthern China and Northern Thailand.   S. grovenorii also know as Momordica grosvenorii, or Thladiantha grosvenorii.

The other species of genus Siraitia are : S. siamensis, S. sikkimensis, S. silomaradjae, and S. taiwaniana.

The fruit is prized for its sweetness, often use for medicinal purpose and as a sweetener.   The sweet taste of 罗汉果 comes mainly from the mogrosides, a group of triterpene-glycosides.  Pure mogroside is about 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Dried 罗汉果 is widely available in Chinese shops or pharmacies.  It is the main ingredients of tongsui of ‘cooling effect', that is, as remedies for hot weather, fever, or other dysfunctions traditionally associated with heat.