Monk fruit sweetener is extracted from monk fruit, also known as luo han guo or “Buddha fruit.” It’s a small, round fruit grown in Southeast Asia. This fruit has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use as a sweetener in 2010. Monk fruit gets its intense sweetness from unique antioxidants called mogrosides. During processing, mogrosides are separated from the fresh-pressed juice. Because this extract may be 200–250 times sweeter than table sugar, many manufacturers mix monk fruit sweetener with other natural products, such as inulin, allulose, or erythritol, to reduce the intensity of the sweetness. Monk fruit extract is now used as a standalone sweetener, an ingredient in food and drinks, a flavor enhancer, and a component of sweetener blends.