Have you ever heard about miracle fruit? We refer the "miracle" terms to its ability to turn taste of sour to sweet taste. How does it work?
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| Look like baby tomatoes but redder color. |
Eating this fruit before taking another sour fruit like lemon or starfruit will convert the sour into sweet taste. The research showed that the adaptation effect is caused by the glycoprotein molecule, named miraculin. When the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten, this molecule binds to tongue's taste buds, causing foods to taste sweet. At neutral pH, miraculin binds and blocks the receptors, but at low pH (resulting from ingestion of sour foods) miraculin binds proteins and becomes able to activate the sweet receptors, resulting in the perception of sweet taste. This effect lasts until the protein is washed away by saliva, up to about 30 minutes.
This fruit is also known as other names like miracle berry, magic berry, miraculous fruit, ajbayun, asaa, buah ajaib (in Malay), or scientifically named as Synsepalum dulcificum. Basically, the fruit is originated from West Africa. Due to its magical effects on the taste, people around the world started to plant this fruit, particularly for the sake of medicine.
This fruit is also known as other names like miracle berry, magic berry, miraculous fruit, ajbayun, asaa, buah ajaib (in Malay), or scientifically named as Synsepalum dulcificum. Basically, the fruit is originated from West Africa. Due to its magical effects on the taste, people around the world started to plant this fruit, particularly for the sake of medicine.
BENEFITS OF MIRACLE FRUIT
Although miracle fruit is always experimentally used for the taste test, there are also widely interest for the pharmaceutical purpose. For example, some doctors had explored the fruit's ability to enhance several group of patient's appetite, such as the chemotherapy for cancer patients. Made into tablets, the benefits also said good in gaining weight. It is also said the fruit can be the substitute to the sugar intake for diabetes patients.
CAN WE GET THIS FRUIT IN MALAYSIA?
The fruit generally can be found in online store but the exact locations of the farm can be famously found in Peninsular of Malaysia like Langkawi Island, Kedah and Raub, Pahang. Public can visit MARDI Agrotechnology Park Langkawi to see the trees or even taste the fruit straight away. However if we are interested to have it at home, most of Malaysia's nurseries are selling the sapling. Easily grown in Malaysia's climate, the trees will eventually become a favorite to locals when its benefits are well known. If you are visiting local farm, give it a try to taste the miracle fruit. Me myself never tasted this fruit anyway. I will review if I managed to taste it one day. Hopefully!
CAN WE GET THIS FRUIT IN MALAYSIA?
The fruit generally can be found in online store but the exact locations of the farm can be famously found in Peninsular of Malaysia like Langkawi Island, Kedah and Raub, Pahang. Public can visit MARDI Agrotechnology Park Langkawi to see the trees or even taste the fruit straight away. However if we are interested to have it at home, most of Malaysia's nurseries are selling the sapling. Easily grown in Malaysia's climate, the trees will eventually become a favorite to locals when its benefits are well known. If you are visiting local farm, give it a try to taste the miracle fruit. Me myself never tasted this fruit anyway. I will review if I managed to taste it one day. Hopefully!
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