Miracle fruit -- freaky berry that makes everything taste sweet

[Misnagid]

Have you guys seen this? I just read about it in the newspaper and it sure sounds very trippy and interesting for people who don't want to eat any carbs. Each serving has less than one carb.

From Wikipedia:

The Miracle Fruit plant (Synsepalum dulciform) produces berries that when eaten cause 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 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

Another quote

. after eating [miracle fruit] stout beer taste like chocolate milkshakes, grapefruits taste like pixie sticks, cheeses taste like frosting, it will make even the crappiest tequila taste like lemonade (and strangely enough, it will make all wine taste like Manischewitz.
- Flavor Tripping blog, entry "mad flavor science".

[Greeneggs&ham]

While that does sound interesting, I find that when I eat something that *tastes* sweet, even if it has no sugar (i.e. diet coke, sugar free Jell-o, etc), I begin to crave more sweet stuff. As interesting as this miracle fruit might be, I think it would be a WOE-killer for me! What I really need is a berry that makes sweet stuff taste like rotten eggs -- now THAT would be a successful product for this Atkineer.

(BTW, nice spelling work on the sweet wine -- my mom actually LIKES that stuff. Then again, I guess I went through my Boone's Farm habit back in college...)

[determined2shrink]

I read about those berries before. I guess the effect lasts for 30 min to 2 hrs. I wish i could get some, i would be eating unsweetened chocolate all day long. lol maybe not all day.

[Misnagid]

I don't think it activates a desire to eat sweet things as much as it makes people want to eat "weird" things and see how they taste -- Brussel sprouts, soy sauce, radishes, nuts, Worcestershire sauce, wasabi and other non-sweet food since the whole point is that it's like a gustatory hallucination. That's the hook, that you're eating pickles and they taste like watermelon. I can't imagine eating cheese and having it taste like buttercream icing.

Though a lot of the foods that people experiment with - i.e. beer -- are obviously not low carb.

[Neecy]

I'd love to try that!!!!

[Chicklady]

Miracle Fruit Tablets - Miraclefruitplus.com

[Chicklady]

or grow your own MiracleFruit-plants.com plant some today Synsepalum dulcificum

[not2late]

Originally Posted by Misnagid

I don't think it activates a desire to eat sweet things as much as it makes people want to eat "weird" things and see how they taste -- Brussel sprouts, soy sauce, radishes, nuts, Worcestershire sauce, wasabi and other non-sweet food since the whole point is that it's like a gustatory hallucination. That's the hook, that you're eating pickles and they taste like watermelon. I can't imagine eating cheese and having it taste like buttercream icing.

Though a lot of the foods that people experiment with - i.e. beer -- are obviously not low carb.

I don't use sugar substitutes regularly, so I've found that my tastebuds can taste natural sugars more readily. Brussel sprouts aren't sweet like candy, but I can taste they have a hint of sweetness in them. Same thing with radishes and nuts. Hot peppers too--I can detect a sweet undertone with them. Same thing with some cheeses like Brie or camembert---there's a sweet quality to them. As for cucumbers, I've always thought they have a watermelony taste. In fact, during Induction and Rung 1 OWL, I used to make a "faux watermelon" smoothie using cucumber, a packet of Splenda, heavy cream and water.

At a family gathering I was the only one who was able to eat some berries because they weren't "sweet enough" for the sugar eaters. There was about 4 pints of berries and they had to sprinkle about 1/2 cup of sugar over them to "make them taste good." And even then there were complaints they were too sour.

But that newfound sensitivity to sweet taste comes with a price: I can't eat the sugar free ketchups or jams etc because they are too sweet tasting and it makes me ill. Also, I can easily taste if someone has sneaked sugar into things like tomato sauce or even veggies! Yes, veggies! I have several relatives who believe corn isn't sweet enough, so they add sugar to corn to make it taste sweet.

[Susan77]

Also, I can easily taste if someone has sneaked sugar into things like tomato sauce or even veggies! Yes, veggies! I have several relatives who believe corn isn't sweet enough, so they add sugar to corn to make it taste sweet.

I know how you feel! All my family believes tomatoes should come with sugar and salt! Ughh!

Just joined cause I saw you talking about Miracle Fruit and wanted to share my experience. I trew a small tasting Party for my friends. One of them has diabetes and one is just undergoing chemo. So especially she needed some pampering . Miracle Frooties were great, Elaine said she could actually feel the taste of food and no problem for diabetics! Complete success!

I recommend it to all. I served some great desserts, I got the Recipes here. Not all of them are low calorie though. Also bought from them.

Has anyone else here had a similar experience with Miracle Frooties?

[metalslugx]

i'd try some. i have berries at home but i never touch them.

hey susan- tomato with salt is super delicious. i like it very much.