Miracle Fruit
Well this is not exactly a topic of controversy that I would usually pride myself in posting. But I thought it was really fascinating, and it brings a whole new light to the idea of drug use.
It’s popularly known as the Miracle Fruit, a small red berry that alters the taste of foods. Originally from West Africa, it has recently been the subject of so-called “flavor-tripping parties” at which hosts provide the berries before an array of lemons, beer, radishes, vinegar, and a variety of other foods that typically taste sour or bitter. Yet from 30 minutes to 2 hours after eating the miracle fruit, people can down bottles of Tabasco sauce and voraciously snack on lemon wedges. Described as “a candy that Willy Wonka would have invented,” guests exclaim that the “beers taste like chocolate milkshakes, grapefruits taste like pixie sticks, cheeses taste like frosting, and even the crappiest tequila tastes like lemonade” (I found these quotes from a mad flavor science post on a Flavor Tripping blog – check it out and even find out where you can attend one of these parties!)
Photo Credit: New York Times
This berry has been a part of the Western world since about 1725, when the explorer Chevalier des Marchais observed West African tribes eating it before meals. Yet it has only recently become popular. While it was around in the 1970s, attempts to commercialize it failed under suspicious circumstances. Theories surmise that the sugar industry put a block on these attempts in order to preserve their own levels of business. This is denied by the FDA, but at the same time their explanation of the miracle fruit’s commercial failure is confusing and somewhat inadequate.
So how does this magic fruit work? People are not quite sure. But they do believe it has something to do with the presence of a molecule suitably called “miraculin” that somehow binds to the tongue’s taste buds and alters their sweetness receptors. Pretty weird, huh?
The only downside to this druggy fruit is that it can make it easier for you to get mouth ulcers, since you can ingest a lot of acidic foods without a natural rejection of the sour taste. And you might not like the feeling of tasting flavors differently. It all depends on personal experience, but it seems like it is definitely something worth trying out. It’s also relatively expensive; one berry costs about $2, but I don’t think this is something you are going to end up snacking on frequently – one should be enough.
P.S. The miracle fruit is not an actual drug, but then again, I suppose that depends on how you define the word.
P.S.S. Two German Shepherds just came into the office where I work, they were absolutely gorgeous. It pretty much made my day.
Anyone ever actually tried this fruit? Share your stories, we would love to hear them!
That’s wild!!! I have never heard of it! :)
And to answer your question, yes, my fiance and I are apart because of school. :(
That’s fascinating! I want to try it!
I haven’t tried it, but I hear you can now buy little pills made of the fruit in a pack, and I think a pack is fairly cheap compared with buying the fruit itself.
I am intrigued, I have to admit.
I really want to try it as well!
Hello,
I i have tried Miracle Fruit. And it is just unbeliavable! Lemon is sweet, but not like sugar sweet, it has different in my opinin much better taste. I also tried other fruit, from oranges to apples, annanas and so on…. I must say it is something compleatley new! Now i am leaving for a week to the see. I am going to dive.
P.S: I bought my Mirracle Fruit tablets at http://www.miraclefruitworld.com/, they got prices in AUD and they are really great. They always reply to e-mails, and they always delivered to me (3 times).
Well best of luck, sufer
My friend saw how people were talking about Miracle Fruit on the news so he ordered them online. I didn’t believe him at first I thought he was just trying to trick me into eating a lemon. To my surprise when I first tried it, it tasted to me like a orange covered in sugar.My friends and I tried several sour fruits. The next day I guess I kind of over did it when I ate a couple lemons since it’s high in acidity which left a little ulcer on the inside of my bottom lip the next day.
Public Service Announcement: I’m trying miracle fruit this weekend. Will post results.
I ordered the fruit and had a flavor tripping party of my own. I gotta say it is worth a try. Everyone was eating lemons and limes like they were candy. And the strawberries tasted like they were dipped in powdered sugar. Does anyone else think miracle fruit is an aphrodisiac?
I ordered the fruit from http://www.ethanbradley.com . It was easy to order and the fruit came right on time.
I have tried the pills. It was amazing.
Perfect for diabetes and diets.
Check out the website.
http://www.theworldsbestfruit.com
my sons ans a couple of his freind hwere here today ..they had the miracle fruit and we had all kinds of fruit and veggies..it was amazing how it made things tatse so sweet. even lemons ….wow it was like a lemonaid in your mouth yummie.
I recommend fruit like: grape (white), lime, grapefruit, blueberry and strawberry with miracle fruit.