The New Sweeteners - Lo Han
LO HAN
What is it?
Lo Han sweetner is extracted from a plant that is a member of the cucumber and squash family. It is a fruit that is grown in the mountains of Southern China. It is supposed to be 250 times sweeter than sugar.
Just a bit of a tangent here. Sugar is pretty sweet … so if something was twice as sweet how would you know that? So how on earth do they measure that something is 250 times sweeter than sugar? By weight? By volume? Or do “they” just say, “Oh this is soooooo sweet, it must taste 250 times sweeter than sugar!” I’m OK now, sometimes I just wonder about strange things!
The really interesting thing about Lo Han is that it has been used for centuries, in China, for congesting, colds and sore throats.
Where can you find it? You’ll have to visit a BIG city health food store for this, since it is not nearly as well know as Stevia or a few of the other alternatives. I’ve also included some links for you to purchase it over the Internet. It comes in liquid and powder form. It can be used as a cooking alternative.
Taste Test: OK … so here’s were some of your genetics come into play. Some people say it is metallic and bitter. Other people say it has NO after taste at all! So if you are trying it for the first time, get the smallest container you can, because metallic and bitter is NO fun at all. Brings licking copper pipes to mind!
Is it safe? According to the Chinese it is. According to the FDA, it hasn’t been approved.
For those that know what this means … Lo Han has a LOW glycemic index, so this along with Stevia is a good alternative for Diabetics.
Lo Han is stable in heat so you can use it in cooking and baking.
Two alternative names you might see … lo han kuo and luo han kuo
