The magical-sounding name of this still very unknown berry has to do with its special effect on the taste buds. Curious?
The miracle berry is known in English as a miracle fruit or miracle berry. Its scientific name is Synsepalum dulcificum. The tree that bears the small, red fruits originally comes from West Africa. It was there that it and its fruit were documented for the first time in 1725. European explorers saw locals picking the berries and consuming them before their meals. But what is so special about this miracle fruit?
The slightly elongated berry has a mildly sweet taste. But of course that's not special. However, its unique selling point in the fruit family is that it has a special effect on our taste buds. It contains a glycoprotein called miraculin, which binds tightly to the taste buds of the tongue. If you eat the pulp of the miracle berry and then eat food that actually tastes sour or bitter, you will no longer perceive the taste you originally expected. Because the miraculin of the miracle berry releases a sweet taste in the mouth when it comes into contact with acidic foods. This effect lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.
Meanwhile, the fruit is slowly arriving in the western world. In some metropolises, such as New York, there are even so-called food-tasting events (i.e. events where you try different dishes) where the miracle berry is used. In Japan, the land of the curious and exclusive fruits, it has of course already arrived. In Europe, however, its approval as a food is still pending. Where it's already available, a single berry will cost you around $2.
But the fruit is not only of interest for its taste: For various diseases, it is currentlytested whether the exotic berry can also work wonders there. It may prove helpful, for example, in diabetes patients. With only one calorie despite the sweet taste, it is of course also interesting for the diet industry.
It remains to be seen how the popularity of the miracle berry will develop in the near future. We'll definitely stay tuned for you.