In China the Luo Han Guo fruit has been used as a natural sweetener for nearly a millennium. The official name of this herbaceous perennial vine is Siraitia grosvenorii. It is native to southern China and is best known for its fruit. Luo Han Guo, (罗汉果; Pinyin: luóhàn guǒ) literally means “arhat fruit” or “monk’s fruit”, and is one of several that have been called the “longevity fruit”. It is also commonly spelled as “luohan guo”. It is grown primarily in the southwestern Chinese province of Guangxi (mostly in the mountains of Guilin), as well as in Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, and Jiangxi. These mountains lend the plants shade, and are often surrounded by mists. |