*notcot in food+drink , 22:45

Miracle Fruit Review- 02.07.08

miracle_fruit.jpgMmm Magic Berries. (I prefer that name for it.) Today i received some Miracle Fruit in the mail, and after much research and curiosity, did a bit of grocery shopping for bitter/sour foods, and then came the ultimate test (these tiny berries turn anything sour/bitter SWEET)! Pictures galore after the jump… and for those who haven’t heard of these magic berries, here’s the short version of their magic powers and background (also see the full wikipedia entry on it):

“The Miracle Fruit Plant, sometimes known as Miracle Berry, or Magic Berry (Sideroxylon dulcificum/Synsepalum dulcificum) is a plant first documented by an explorer named 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. 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. The berry is sweet, and 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 (such as lemons and limes) consumed later to taste sweet. This effect lasts between thirty minutes and two hours. It is not a sweetener, as its effects depend on what is eaten afterwards, but has been used to sweeten bitter medicines.” See after the jump for how it went:

UPDATE ~ rumor has it that these berries might also be perfect for valentine’s day, and not just because they are red. Their ability to help turn things sweet can be very handy…

The box and some info about the Miracle Fruit came in a USPS Envelope. You have about 24-48 hours to consume/freeze these before they go bad.
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Inside the box was a bundle of foil and some papertowels padding it…
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In the foil were 6 juicy red Magic Berries! (It makes me think of the gummi bears and their gummi berri potions)
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So i picked up some of the recommended pairings to test with… Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pomelo, Blue Cheese, Guinness… and had some of the super sour chinese sweet/sour/bitter /salty preserved mandarin peel.
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Sliced up the fruit, and figured i’d try a bit of everything BEFORE so i could tell there was a difference after. Guinness was delicious, blue cheese on crackers not bad…. and then i grabbed the lime. UGH. Apparently i haven’t bit into a slice of lime without a shot of tequila preceding it… ever?
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Inside the fruit… its white, juicy, and fleshy inside that red skin… much like the texture of a custard apple, sapote, mangostein, etc… the flesh clings to the seed quite a bit, so there’s a bit of work to get it cleaned off
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Here is a cleaned seed ~ ready for planting! (Check back in a year or so to see if i’m growing any fruits of my own)
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So what happened?

First impression ~ confusing. You still SMELL everything as it was/is.

Although already weary from the first lime experience, i went for it anyways about a minute after sucking the seed clean… and it was like eating limeade. It was confusing really, my sense/mind didn’t quite get what was going on. Then i went for the lemon, and it really did taste like lemonade! Then the grapefruit, which was already pretty sweet… and what little sourness it did have was gone, it was sweeter/waterier tasting. The bitter bits of the pomelo became rather enjoyable! The blue cheese - i think the hardest part here was that it smelled the same - it tasted like a far milder form of itself, almost more like brie with small chunks of blue cheese in it. The chinese mandarin peels… it was not the pseudo-medicinal taste i despised as a kid, but tasted more like candied peels sans crunchy sugary bits on the outside! Very weird. As for the Guinness ~ as someone who likes Guinness ~ i must say do NOT waste your Guinness like this… it was so gross. I can’t quite explain it, it wasn’t like it became apple cider… more just like bad beer. blech.

The effects lasted about 20-25 minutes for me before a lick of the lime made me make faces again. There is no coating you feel on your tongue, mouth, etc. You eat it, and it just kind of does its thing.

I made my mom come try one, and her reaction? She dislikes the feeling that your senses are being messed with. And if you’re going to ingest something to mess with you, it should be more fun/exciting of a headtrip. Also, if you’re trying to diet with this, why not just try to actually restrain yourself, instead of finding a loophole around sugar?

Bottom line? Bizarre. I can certainly see why the African tribes like eating it before bitter medicines. Certainly worth experiencing, and while I do feel like it could have been a bit more emotionally satisfying, its really quite bizarre to have your tastebuds messed with so easily.

Definitely a fun crazy party food experiment that will leave guests with that look of surprised bewilderment ~ and the ingredients are cheap! And if you are a terrible chef, its ok, everything will taste deliciously sweet?

As for tracking some down ~ visit my friend’s friend that hooked me up with these juicy magic berries over at Miracle Connect ~ it’s a work in progress!… and for all your NYers, you can apparently pick them up directly from them.

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47 Notes

miracle fruit? its amazing taste it and prove it….

----- juapu 27.08.11 05:25

after experiencing the magic of this berry, I can’t get it off my mind. i wanted a plant to grow and share its magic to everyone i know. hope i could surf some more info on how to grow this plant. wish me luck!

----- nancy 16.07.11 21:59

There is a huge benefit that you all are missing to this fruit. As I understand it when cancer patients go through chemo all the foods they eat taste like metal. This makes a lot of cancer patients stop eating. If they have this fruit before they eat it makes the food edible again. If you grow these fruit please find a cancer patient to give them to. I am trying to grow them now in larger quantity to give to folks with cancer in south Florida But not having the best of luck yet. I will get through the educational stage of this and will do this for these patients. To the guy who stated “this it the dumbest thing I have ever seen” I guess you are wrong. If you are a cancer patinet and want more info on this please search “miracle fruit and cancer” and it will come up. If anyone has cancer in the West Palm Beach area please E-mail me and I will try to hook you up with some fruit when I get more. E-mail MMM386@bellsouth.net. Please put in subject line miracle fruit so I don’t delete it or if it goes to my sapm file I will see it. They really are a wonderful fruit if you need them or for the fun! Thanks and Good luck!

----- Larry 09.07.11 06:28

I love miracle fruit. My favorite thing to try is Guinness beer. So good!

----- Vin 26.04.10 11:16

I saw the episode on magic berries on CSI. I have a question, will it help me to eat my vegetables? I absolutely dispise it! Will it make it sweet tasting?

----- Sharon 10.08.09 01:41

It’s amazing how miracle fruit works. We think that what we taste everyday is real, but we’re really so dependent on our subjective senses.

—Miracle Fruit Fan
Miracle Fruit Fans

----- Miracle Fruit Fan 23.07.09 07:25

Hey - I wouldlike to try these lil berries - where do I find them at

----- Rose Rogers 13.05.09 11:49

I live in Waterloo, Iowa. Is there a local store where these berries can be purchaced?

----- Gretchen 11.01.09 15:10

Interested in the effects of the berry and visibly seeing the effects people have with different food?

visit http://www.MiracleFruitHut.com where you can find a video of people trying the fruit out with various foods and drinks and also a supply for the berries, tablets and plants in different sizes!

----- AllisMiraculous 11.12.08 07:44

I got my fresh miracle fruit berries from www.miraclefruittab.com
never ate that many lemons wedges in my life. Have anyone try with apple cidar vinegar(acv)? It’s sweet! Perfect for people wants to be on acv diet. There is no burning in your throat, go down smoothly.

----- miraclefruitlady 02.12.08 22:18

Never had a chance to try the actual berries, only the tablets. I’m not sure which is stronger, but the tablets lasted me about 25 minutes. I’ve ruined my fair share of a few beers and wines, but I’ve really dug grapefruits, limes, lemons, and even hot sauce. Haven’t heard any first-hand accounts of the effects on body fluids…must be grounds for scientific research.
I’d like to try the baked goods they have at miracle fruit cafes in Japan. It may be a while before that catches on here.

----- Angel 20.11.08 18:29

Hey Kid’s, I purchased Miracle Berry seeds 6 years ago, and out of 50, I have 2 Gorgeous plants, or should I say bushes.


I gave some away, killed some (forgot to water), moving, divorce, and on and on.
I was dragging these guys around with me for a few years before finally settling down.
I also grow, and Hybridize orchids, plus collect all kinds of strange plants.
I live in South Florida, and it’s very close to the growing conditions for the Miracle Berry’s origin.


I have to say, they take a very long time to grow from seed. There’s a slow germination, up to 2 - 3 weeks, and from there you’ll get a 3 inch plant, with just a few leaves.
This little plant stays that way for up to 2 years, before it takes off growing again.


For the longest time I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong when these plants did nothing. Skinny looking 2 - 3 inch stems, with 2 to 3 leaves on top. Then they just stopped?But when they were ready to take off, boy, they did!


They like it on the acid side, damp, not soaking, but give them water! The high humidity here in S. FL, does not faze them, I get fruit at least 3 times a year, maybe more?
Insects do not bother the plants, but snails can eat the soft tissue from any new growth.
Very easy to keep.


I think they would do good as a house plant, give them plenty of sun, and do not freeze. My plants seen 42 degrees with no affect on them. I have many other tropical’s, where the cold snap did do damage to some.


Right now (10/11/08) they’re flowering, getting ready for set fruit. I expect fruit in a month to two, then continuing bearing for at almost 2 months. Not sure exactly?
I will pay closer attention to them now, as I have started more plants from seed, that I plan to sell. I might try some cuttings also, after this fruit season.


If your planing a party in a few months, and want some Miracle Berry’s, email me.
I’ll keep you posted on their progress, give you a time frame, and with pictures if you want.
Just let me know how many Miracle Berry’s needed, I’ll keep a list, first come, first served.


Honestmase@aol.com

----- Honest John 11.10.08 12:02

I bought some Miracle Fruit berries from miraclefruitworld.com…they had great prices, fast shipping, and helpful customer service. Of all the places I looked at- these guys were the best. They also have great special offers!!! They also recommend certain foods to try with the berries for a crazy experience…Check them out!

----- Sam LeComte 22.09.08 16:26

Hi all, I would just like to state to those who arent aware, the miraclefruithut has recently under gone new ownership. We have many returning customers and as the new owner i would like everyone to know we strive to ship out our products so you recieve them on time and look to keep good communication with our customers. We sell the plants and also in a tablet and the berry form at some of the best prices on the net. We have purchasers world wide and we hope that everyone can try the wonders of this miracle fruit.

Regards,

Sinz

Owner/

www.miraclefruithut.com

----- miraclefruithut 03.09.08 08:51

where do you buy these majic berriesw at?

----- michael 31.08.08 18:23

To all Miracle Fruit Enthusiasts :) We just published new recipes to try with Miracle Fruit. Our favorite are simple sugarfree recipes (Apple pie) and cocktails. We updated our list of foods as well, watermelon and rhubarb are our latest discovery…

Miracle Fruit . me and everybody else! :)

Happy Tasting!

----- Miracle Fruit Me ;-) 31.08.08 16:09

Hey everyone I had the greatest taste every, try coffe or cheese … amazing .. take a half tablet and get to eating and drinking, its great evenm though it only last for about 6 hrs .. I bought my tablets from www.miracleberrypill.com you will be happy you tried them!

----- kimmy johnson 24.08.08 23:43

does anyone know where i can buy these miracal berries ?
could anyone please let me know?

xxx
Gaby

----- gaby 24.08.08 05:41

I bought my Miracle Fruit from Miracle Fruit World
I was delighted with the service and i will order again!
They also have some great recipes and great support in different languages. Now all my friends from Spain can buy directly, and I don’t have to resell.

----- Johnl 23.08.08 07:53

Buyer beware: Miracle Fruit Hut

I bought tablets from here without issues, but it’s been a month since I ordered my berries. I’ve tried contacting the vendor, but have not gotten a response. So..
- No berries
- No refund
- No contact

Buyer beware.. for more info see my post here:
http://www.miracletaste.com/index.php/topic,67.0.html

----- K 12.08.08 12:43

Having lived in Jamaica in the 70’s I learned of a Majic fruit plantation up in the bush close to Ocho Rios and one day I learned the REAL story of from the people that brought it from west Africa to Jamaica whos main Idea was to market it to the diabetic market ,but to make a long story short the sugar lobby and sacccarhin lobby and the FDA killed it with wanting them to tests that would take it to the food addative category ,which was where they wanted to place the product.Not having the 2 million$ they soon folded.
this is info from the man a fellow Mass. resident who was the original plantation owner in Jamaica.
Had not heard much until I saw an interview with some guy who wrote a book about the miracle fruit story and has a good imagination but no FACTS.
Great fruit ,great potential, GO FIGHT THE BIG GUYS ITS TOO GOOD A PRODUCT NOT TO BE MORE THAN A GOOFY PARTY.

----- paul hyman 03.08.08 12:22

I bought the tablets through these guys. The tablets are cheaper and do the same thing.

----- David 01.08.08 05:05

Hey guys, this really is one amazing berry :) Excellent stuff! got mine from http://www.synsepalum.com together with a list of foods and recipes to go with it!

----- JossLo 26.07.08 06:12

Oh, one of my friends (everybody else, 100’s, had nothing against the taste) also told me she did not like the taste of the tablets but the fruit itself has a very similar taste as well… She enjoyed the fruit though ;) It’s worth giving it a shot!

----- ZagerA 21.07.08 12:34

I got mine from Miracle Fruit World , and lemons really taste sweet! I used some of their recipes as well, it’s a really good service they offer! Highly recommended!

----- ZagerA 21.07.08 12:31

Hello I’ve just tried the tablets (berries out of stock)and i hated it.. a realy sickley sweet flavour.. is the taste the same with the actual berries.. if so i’ll try cancel my order?

----- Maura 14.07.08 07:36

Hey! Just received my Miracle Fruit Tablets from www.miraclefruitworld.com and I have to say they really WORK! Some of my favorites:
- pineapple
- kiwi
- pomelo
- rhubarb (MUST try!)

Happy tasting!


Thanks www.miraclefruitworld.com !!

----- Jane Lovsak 06.07.08 09:19

I tried these this weekend and they do work, i bought them in tablet form from http://www.twistedtaste.co.uk , I think the best food on these fruits is salt and vinegar crisps they taste unreal!! Try them trust me!!!

----- Thomas Pearson 29.06.08 06:20

Thats very intrested. I have been purchasing the fruit for quite some time now, and I had the same effect as you. I read alot of people above and got a couple of boxes of miracle fruit from Miracle Fruit Hut, since it was the cheapest there. Cant wait for it to get here, but has any one had any expirence with the tablets? I hear they are better no?

----- Michael Dempsy 28.06.08 17:54

you can get miracle fruit tablets, seeds, and plants at www.miraclefruittab.com for low price. They have all of these products in stock and ready to ship out worldwide.

----- amanda 23.06.08 17:25

Since the miracle fruit is such a fragile berry to ship (good for only 1-2 days after picking) I have imported a few hundred packs of the pure fruit tabs from japan. They have the exact same effect as the berry, and cost way less per experience. They are pure miracle fruit extract, and also have a shelf life of 1-2 years. Link below


Miracle Fruit Express Tabs

----- will 21.06.08 19:51

Hi, with the full on craze about this wonderful miracle berry, we tried to buy them, we did and found them to be great!! Also tried the tablets as they are easy ship, not bad either, as we manufacture herbal supplements, we decided to produce our own brand in clean, FDA and GMP standards factory. We are now about to release miracle berry taste strips that melt on the tongue. So, if you want some to try or start your own business, visit www.good-diets.com and have fun!

----- Mel 19.06.08 11:09

My husband and I have been growing the Miracle Fruit for years. Ever since the article came out, it NOW gets the rightful attention that this bizarre little fruit deserves!

I have another huge batch of berries that will be ripe in about 2 weeks.

It’s first-come-first-serve at $3.00 per berry plus $35.00 overnight shipping within the lower 48 states. If you are interested in reserving an order for the berries please email me. Payment is through PayPal only.

----- betsyross1776ad 03.06.08 18:34

does it have negative effects to persons with diabetis??

----- fire 27.05.08 14:39

this is the stupidest thing i’ve ever heard


----- dfaduagedja 19.03.08 07:02

I wonder if it would help with Calea Zacatechichi tea? For example, this Erowid report should tell you something about the taste http://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=51597 (not about the effects though).

----- TECH 11.03.08 01:10

That sounds amazing! Where can I get some?!?!

----- Jen 26.02.08 09:23

Angelo - you can get miraculin which is the extract of the active ingredient in miracle fruit from http://miracleUK.info/. They ship worldwide.

----- miracle fruit 20.02.08 10:34

Haha, you should have tried medicine (just a bit!)
That would have been pretty interesting. I need to get some!!

----- Elty 17.02.08 14:17

Where can u order them?????

----- Angelo 15.02.08 04:21

Sweet beer?

“Triggering the Grand Irrationality?”


Cowering in an obscure corner of the food pyramid

somewhere between the tofu and the unflavored yogurt

contemplating the juxtaposition of intangibles for all you are worth…..

----- poetryman69 09.02.08 14:01

I would be interested to see how it would affect the taste of Chinese bitter melon———a horribly bitter thing—it even smells bitter—available at most all Asian markets
here is a pic in case you wanna try—let me know! :P
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevortext/120309892/

----- Tori 09.02.08 09:12

I loved the guiness, myself.

The thing about miracle berries is that they contain a protein that binds to your sweetness receptors and causes them to be stimulated by acidity. Even though beer doesn’t taste sour, it contains acids, so it’s more sweet after miracle berrying.

Sort of ice cream shake like.

----- lux 08.02.08 15:50

Though it might interest you that we’ll be hosting a large miracle fruit tasting party in NYC on March 1st.


www.flavortripping.wordpress.com

----- supreme 08.02.08 10:25

wow fruit induced synasethsia anyone? Im wanting some of these berries!
I wonder what it does for bodily fluids? O_o

----- xtiaan 08.02.08 02:55

nope ~ but it was on the pairings list, so i was too curious not to try it… and it certainly did SOMETHING not nice to the taste

----- jean 08.02.08 02:11

You wouldn’t call a fine Guinness bitter or sour, would you???

----- Arno Nyhm 08.02.08 02:04


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