I get asked a LOT about my use of monk fruit which has become popular over the years. Unfortunately much of what you see in stores (nearly all products I’ve ever found) are not just monk fruit. Store bought monk fruit often contains erythritol or xylitol as an additive or the primary ingredient on the label. While these are all low calorie sugars, the latter two are not as well tolerated as monk fruit. Monk fruit is a natural sweetener from a fruit native to China. It contains a blood-sugar-friendly sugar called mongrosides which is a glycemic friendly one at that. Additionally, mogropides contain anti-inflammatory benefits while monk fruit also is a natural anti-histamine of which can be beneficial as the sugar of choice for #mcas patients. When we consume sugar, we may spike our blood glucose resulting in increase histamine levels in our body. This is why controlling #sugarmetabolism in patients with #mastcellactivationsyndrome is integral as every action to reduce our #histaminebucket levels is integral to our wellbeing! Now, back to why store-bought “monk fruit” is a poor choice: The reason for this is the fact that both xylitol and erthyritol contain properties that are not handled well by some individuals. Many people consuming these sugars will notice digestive and gastrointestinal side effects. While this is the primary complaint, erythritol may increase blood clots and heart related issues. Xylitol on the other hand can spike blood glucose levels which may make this an unsafe sugar choice to use by diabetics with uncontrolled diabetes. However with many foods, more research is needed however much like any food, moderation is important!