Bakeriella dulcifica, Bumelia dulcifica, Fruit Miracle, Fruit Miraculeux, Fruta Milagrosa, Miracle Berry, Miraculin, Miraculous Berry, Richadellla dulcifica, Sideroxylon dulcificum, Synsepalum dulcificum.
Miracle fruit is an evergreen shrub that grows in West Africa. The berry of the miracle fruit plant is used as medicine.
People take miracle fruit to treat diabetes and correct chemotherapy-related taste disturbances.
In foods, miracle fruit is used as a low-calorie sugar-free sweetener.
How does work?
Miracle fruit contains a chemical that affects taste receptors in the tongue. This chemical makes the tongue register sour tastes as sweet tastes. The chemical itself has no taste at all.
Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...
- Diabetes.
- Other conditions.
There isn't enough information available to know if miracle fruit is safe.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Not enough is known about the use of miracle fruit during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.The appropriate dose of miracle fruit depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for miracle fruit. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
QUESTION
See AnswerNatural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Bartoshuk LM, Gentile RL, Molkowitz HR, Meiselman HL. Sweet taste induced by miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum). Physiol Behav 1974;12:449-56. View abstract.
Giroux EL, Henkin RI. Purification and some properties of miraculin, a glycoprotein from Synsepalum dulcificum which provokes sweetness and blocks sourness. J Agric Food Chem 1974;22:595-601. View abstract.
Inglett GE. A history of sweeteners--natural and synthetic. J Toxicol Environ Health 1976;2:207-14. View abstract.
Kant R. Sweet proteins--potential replacement for artificial low calorie sweeteners. Nutr J 2005;4:5. View abstract.