Miracle Fruit

by Harlequin

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!)

New York Times

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!

Advertisement