Frequently Asked Questions

What is Miracle Fruit?

Miracle Fruit is a plant native to West Africa. It is a reddish, slightly sweet berry that is not remarkable for how it looks or tastes, but for what it can do. It has a unique effect: it causes sour and bitter foods to taste sweet. Sometimes extremely sweet. This is all due to a glycoprotein, called Miraculin, within the berry. The effect can last for 15 minutes to 2 hours. The first documentation of this wonderful fruit was made by an explorer by the name of Chevalier des Marchais in 1725.

What are other names for the Miracle Fruit?

Synsepalum dulcificum, Miracle Berry, Miraculous Berry, Miraculous Fruit, Magic Berry, Frutto dei miracoli, Fruta maravillosa, Fruto milagro, Fruta de milagro, Frutamilagrosa, Assarbah, Sideroxylon dulcificum, Mirakelfrukten, Mirakelfrukt, Mirakelbaer, Wunderbeere, Mirakelbes

Is Miracle Fruit Safe?

As far as the literature and studies go, Miracle fruit has no known adverse side effects. Western Civilization has known about Synsepalum dulcificum since 1725. Not to mention that native tribes had been using it long before that. No harmful side effects have been reported. The miracle fruit tablets have traces of corn from the corn starch, so if you have a corn allergy, it is strongly advised that you do not consume the tablets. There have been clinical studies conducted in the US on chemotherapy patients and diabetics as a dietary aid with nothing but good results reported. In Japan, Miracle Fruit tablets have been on sale since 2006. Miracle fruit extract and miraculin has been tested and approved for sale by Japan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (comparable to the FDA in the US). Every person is different, however, and we cannot claim that this is 100% safe for everyone. (Not sure if we’d feel comfortable making that claim about bottled water.) Please use at your own risk and discretion.

Is Miracle Fruit Legal?

In the US, buying selling, growing, and consuming miracle fruit is 100% legal. As of this posting, the active ingredient found in Miracle Fruit, Miraculin has not been approved by the FDA as a food additive or artificial sweetener. Therefore, you won’t find it in commercial food products just yet. Other countries, such as Japan, have already approved its use as an additive.

How should I consume Miracle Fruit to achieve the desired effect?

The best use is to keep it in your mouth for 30 seconds up to 2 minutes. If it is a berry, slowly chew it and swirl it around your mouth. If it is a tablet, let it dissolve slowly over a period of time, making sure to mix it in your mouth to try to coat your tongue with as much of the miracle fruit’s properties as you can. This will ensure that a sufficient amount of miraculin coats your tongue.

How long does the effect last?

It can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. The length depends on an individual’s tastebuds, the strength and amount of extract that covers the tongue, and the temperature, type, quantity, and pH of the food eaten. Hot liquids or foods may cause the effect to wear off more rapidly, as may milk. The effect can by easily removed by drinking hot water, tea, or coffee.

Does miracle fruit work on all foods?

Miracle fruit sweetens the sour taste and brings out the flavor of certain acidic foods. It doesn’t have much of an effect on foods that lack acid. Some foods will taste worse after using miracle fruit. While many enjoy the effect miracle fruit has on dark beers (kind of a chocolatey flavor), the sweetness added to a light beer is strange (makes it taste even more watered down), and pineapple becomes almost too sweet for some people.

What is Miraculin?

Miraculin, a glycoprotein, is contained within the pulp of the Miracle Fruit. Miraculin consists of 191 amino acids and some carbohydrate chains. This glycoprotein is what makes the entire taste perception qualities of the Miracle fruit possible. Glycoproteins are sensitive to heat, so miraclin will lose its taste-changing properties when it is heated above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). When Miraculin on the taste buds, and it encounters the sourness from acids, it stimulates the sensation of sweetness on the tongue; thereby making the sour or acidic food taste sweet. The sensation can last from 15 minutues to 2 hours.

What are some good or interesting food pairings with miracle fruit?

Click here for our recipes
Fruits & Vegetables:

More foods:

• Vinegar
• Tabasco or other hot sauce
• Chili sauce
• V8
• Ketchup
• Mustards
• Goat cheese
• Certain aged cheeses
• Lettuce
• Salt and vinegar potato chips
• Sour cream

Or combine sour foods with other foods:

• Salad with a splash of lemon and/or vinegar instead of dressing
• Broccoli with a splash of lemon
• Oyster with lemon juice
• Aloe vera with lemon juice
• Unsweetened tea with lemon or lime
• Coffee with a few drops of lemon

Try low or no sugar desserts:

• Homemade sugar-free key lime pie
• Homemade sugar-free rhubarb pie
• Homemade sugar-free strawberry shortcake or strawberry topping
• Low-fat sour cream instead of whipped cream
• Natural yogurt
• Some chocolates (best if mixed with something acidic or sour)

Drinks and mixers (great for Flavor Tripping parties):

• Guinness; also try with a drop of lemon sorbet
• Any dark beer
• Cheap red wine
• Cheap tequila

Our recipe page is always being updated.