Q: So, what is a “miracle fruit”?

A: via wikipedia:

The Miracle Fruit plant (Synsepalum dulcificum) produces berries that, when eaten, causes bitter and sour foods (such as lemons and limes) consumed later to taste sweet. The berry, also known as Miracle Berry, Magic Berry, or Flavor Berry, was first documented by explorer Chevalier des Marchais during a 1725 excursion to its native West Africa. Marchais noticed that local tribes picked the berry from shrubs and chewed it before meals. The plant grows in bushes up to 20 feet (6.1 m) high in its native habitat, but does not usually grow higher than ten feet in cultivation, and it produces two crops per year, after the end of the rainy season. It is an evergreen plant that produces small red berries, with flowers that are white and which are produced for many months of the year. The seeds are about the size of coffee beans.

 

 

Q: Is there a difference between Miracle Berries/Miracle Fruits/Mysterious Fruits?

A: No, different name same plant. Mysterious Fruit is written on the inside protective sleeve of the tablets.

 

 

Q: Does this really make sour foods sweet?

A: Yes!

 

 

Q: How does it work?

A: via wikipedia:

The berry contains an active glycoprotein molecule, with some trailing carbohydrate chains, called miraculin. When the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten, this molecule binds to the tongue’s taste buds, causing bitter and sour foods to taste sweet. While the exact cause for this change is unknown, one hypothesis is that the effect may be caused if miraculin works by distorting the shape of sweetness receptors “so that they become responsive to acids, instead of sugar and other sweet things.” This effect lasts between thirty minutes and two hours.

 

 

Q: Is there some kind of mind altering/psychedelic/narcotic effect? Are they addictive?

A: No, the fruit’s effect is purely topical. There are no side effects beyond that experienced on your tongue!

There is nothing in Miracle Fruit that would make it addictive.

 

 

Q: Why haven’t I heard of this before?

A: The berries are very delicate and not easy to transport. There were efforts to industrialize production in the 1970s, but when these efforts failed, Miracle Berries largely fell of the map for non-botanists. This has only recently changed as production has begun again to bring Miracle Berries into greater prominence, this time with the help of the internet.

 

 

Q: Is this legal?

A: Yes, it is legal as a food supplement in the USA. It is not allowed to be used as a “food additive” meaning, you cannot include it in prepared foods. There are currently no rulings for the EU regarding safety. In Japan, the fruit is considered safe and industrial production has begun to use Miraculin as a food additive. Japan has already successfully genetically engineered lettuce to create Miraculin for this purpose, as a head of lettuce can produce a great deal more Miraculin than a single berry.

 

 

Q: So, I’ve heard about the fruit, why would I want to buy these tablets instead?

A: The fruits are extremely perishable and like anything with Miraculin (the active ingredient) should not be cooked or frozen. For this reason, fresh berries must be sent as soon as they are ripe and must be eaten quickly. Some people end up disappointed with their fresh berries because they cannot consume them all before they go bad or they end up freezing them and drastically reducing their potentcy by themselves.

The tablets are composed of freeze-dried berry juice and corn starch and will last up to a year. They are much easier and cheaper to send around the world and enjoy. There is no chance you will end up with rotting moldy tablets, which is definitely not the case with the fresh fruit.

 

 

Q: What’s in the tablets?

A: Freeze-dried Miracle Berry juice and pharmaceutical-grade corn starch.

 

 

Q: How much do I need to take to feel an effect?

A: Some people say a half tablet can be effective, but that seems to not quite be enough for some people. In general it is best to start with one full tablet and later see how well a half tablet will work. For people wanting to enjoy the effects of Miracle Berry Tablets for an evening, two or more tablets may be necessary.

 

 

Q: Is there something I should be careful about with Miracle Berries?

The main idea to be careful about with Miracle Berries is that you are still susceptible to damaging your mouth, tongue and throat and stomach with highly acidic foods and drinks. Alcoholic beverages may taste much sweeter, but they are no less alcoholic. Just because you can drink raw vinegar and have it taste good, doesn’t mean it is a good idea to actually drink it!

As the wikipedia states:

Additionally, its effects might be considered dangerous because while Miraculin does change the perception of taste, it does not change the food’s chemistry. Therefore, the mouth is still vulnerable to the high acidity of some foods, such as lemon juice, which may result in oral ulcers if eaten in large quantities.

 

 

Q: What kinds of foods should I try with a miracle berry?

A: Look for some ideas here (http://r6xx.com/mberries/?page_id=107) - but just remember it will work with any acidic foods. Maybe you’ll be the one to discover the ultimate food to try with Miracle Berries!