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Arhat Fruit
Momordica grosvenori, LOHAN
FRUIT, LUO HAN GUO
The arhat fruit, luo han guo, is
also called han guo (Chinese fruit) and la han guo (pull sweat fruit). It is
a long-lived climbing vine whose length can exceed 8 meters. The fruit may
be round or egg shaped, 40-70 mm long and 40-60 mm in diameter. It ripens at
the end of autumn.
Dried fruit may be bought in the city markets. The outer surface of the
dried fruit is round and smooth, dusty yellow-brown or dusty green-brown. It
is covered with fine, soft hair. The fruit is covered by a hard but thin
shell. Inside is a partly dry, flexible substance containing the juice as
well as a large number of seeds.
The skin, juicy part and seeds all have a good sweet flavor. Its nature is
cool, and it has no poison.
The fruit helps relieve sunstroke, moistens the lungs, eliminates phlegm,
stops coughs and promotes bowel movements. It contains glucose and a type of
sugar 300 times sweeter than ordinary sugar. Diabetics can use this as a
sweetener.
APPLICATIONS
1. HEAT STROKE WITH THIRST. Take one arhat fruit, break it open and stir
into boiled water. Drink the liquid in place of tea.
2. ACUTE OR CHRONIC THROAT INFLAMMATION; APHONIA. Take half a fruit and 3-5
seeds of sterculia (Sterculia scaphigera). Cover with water and simmer, then
swallow very slowly.
3. CHRONIC COUGH. Take 1 piece of fruit cover with water, simmer and drink
the liquid. Do this twice.
4. CONSTIPATION IN THE AGED. Take 2 pieces of fruit, obtain the juicy part
and the seeds (put the shell aside for other uses), break apart, cover with
water and simmer. Serve before going to bed.
5. DIABETES, SUGAR SUBSTITUTE. Take an appropriate measure of fruit and
crush it. Alternatively, simmer it into a thick juice and add this to food
being prepared.
EDITOR'S NOTE
A prepared form of this fruit is a very popular treatment for colds in
China. It may be bought as 'Luohanguo Chongji' and is in the form of a small
brown block 30 mm long which is dissolved in water.
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