Fit Fare

Miracle Fruit, or as it is some times known as, miraculous berry, does something that is truly a miracle. Native to Africa, this berry does what is nearly unthinkable. While the berry itself is not sweet, it contains a special molecule called miraculin that, when eaten, binds to your tastebuds and makes any food eaten afterwards taste sweet, including very sour foods like lemons or limes.

The effect lasts up to 2 hours. While it is not a sweetener, it does make foods and drinks consumed afterwards taste sweet. This could be a real boon to a dieter, as they could save calories on drinks like lemonade by simply eating the fruit first and then sipping unsweetened lemon water. There is work underway by food scientists who hope to make a sweetener out of miraclin that can be added to foods in place of sugar.

To learn more, listen to this NPR piece or grow your own and try it for yourself.