Miracle fruit

Miracle fruit - Photo by scott.zona

Whenever you eat Miracle fruit followed by food with a sour taste, you will find that the sour food suddenly tastes sweet.

The name Miracle fruit is also used for some other plant species which also can change the perceived sweetness of food.

Names

Scientific
   Synsepalum dulcificum
English
   Miracle berry
   Miracle fruit
   Miraculous berry
   Sweet berry
Dutch
   Mirakelbes
Spanish
   Fruta milagrosa
French
   Fruit miracle
German
   Mirakelfrucht
   Wunderbeere
Italian
   Frutto miracoloso

Taxonomy

Genus
   Synsepalum
Family
   Sapotaceae
Order
   Ericales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Miracle fruit originates from West Africa.

Distribution:

Evergreen or deciduous:

Miracle fruit is an evergreen shrub.

Flowers:

Leaves:

Miracle fruits has dense foilage with leaves that are 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 3.5 cm wide.

Fruits:

The miracle fruit is a red berry. The fruits are about 2 cm long and contain one seed. They have a low sugar content and have a mild sweet taste. The fruits contain ‘Miraculin’, which is a natural sugar substitute. The effect of this is that when the fruit is eaten, it causes any sour foods (e.g. lemons or limes) that are eaten afterwards to taste sweet.

Climate and weather:

Pollination:

Height:

Miracle fruit is a shrub which can be up to 2 to 4 meter tall.

Spacing:

Plants are grown about 4 meter apart.

Propagation:

Propagated from seed.

Harvesting:

Pick the ripe fruits. They stay good for 2 or 3 days.

Uses:

Miracle fruit is used among patients with diabetes and dieters as a sugar substitute. The plant is often kept in gardens or greenhouses because of its special ‘miracle’ effect.

Did you know that?

Researchers have genetically engineered other organisms, such as tomatoes, to produce ‘miraculin’.
The sweet-inducing effect of ‘mirucalin’ usually lasts 30 to 60 minutes, depending on amount taken.

Crop categories

Fruits
Food crops
Tropical crops

Pictures