Miracle Fruit
OTHER NAME(S): Agbayun, Fruit Miraculeux, Magic Berry, Miracle Berry, Miraculin, Miraculous Berry, Sweet Berry, Uni, Synsepalum dulcificum, Bakeriella dulcifica, Bumelia dulcifica, Richadellla dulcifica, Sideroxylon dulcificum, Fruta Milagrosa, Fruit Miracle
Overview
Miracle fruit is an evergreen shrub that grows in West Africa. The berry, leaf, and seed oil are used as medicine.
People use miracle fruit for diabetes, obesity, taste disturbances in people treated with cancer drugs, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
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. Miracle fruit also contains chemicals that might lower levels of blood sugar.
In foods, miracle fruit is used as a low-calorie sugar-free sweetener.
Don't confuse miracle fruit with aloe (miracle fruit), gymnema (miracle plant), and jiaogulan (miracle grass).
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. Miracle fruit also contains chemicals that might lower levels of blood sugar.
Uses
We currently have no information for Miracle Fruit overview.
Side Effects
When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if miracle fruit is safe or what the side effects might be. Miracle fruit might cause an allergic reaction in some people.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if miracle fruit is safe or what the side effects might be. Miracle fruit might cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Precautions
When taken by mouth: There isn't enough reliable information to know if miracle fruit is safe or what the side effects might be. Miracle fruit might cause an allergic reaction in some people.
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if miracle fruit is safe or what the side effects might be. Miracle fruit might cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if miracle fruit is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Allergies: People with allergies to other substances, such as peanut, latex, peach, and soy, might also be allergic to miracle fruit.
Diabetes: Miracle fruit might lower your blood sugar. As a result, your diabetes medications might need to be adjusted by your healthcare provider.
Interactions
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this combination
- Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Miracle FruitMiracle fruit might lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking miracle fruit along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed. Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
Dosing
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.
References
- Bartoshuk LM, Gentile RL, Molkowitz HR, Meiselman HL. Sweet taste induced by miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum). Physiol Behav 1974;12:449-56.
- 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.
- Inglett GE. A history of sweeteners--natural and synthetic. J Toxicol Environ Health 1976;2:207-14.
- Kant R. Sweet proteins--potential replacement for artificial low calorie sweeteners. Nutr J 2005;4:5.
- Gorin S, Wakeford C, Zhang G, et al. Beneficial effects of an investigational wristband containing Synsepalum dulcificum (miracle fruit) seed oil on the performance of hand and finger motor skills in healthy subjects: A randomized controlled preliminary study. Phytother Res 2018;32(2):321-32. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5980.
- Obafemi TO, Olaleye MT, Akinmoladun AC. Antidiabetic property of miracle fruit plant (Synsepalum dulcificum Shumach. & Thonn. Daniell) leaf extracts in fructose-fed streptozotocin-injected rats via anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition of carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes. J Ethnopharmacol. 2019;244:112124.
- Huang W, Chung HY, Xuan W, Wang G, Li Y. The cholesterol-lowering activity of miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum). J Food Biochem 2020;44(5):e13185.
- Haddad SG, Mohammad M, Raafat K, Saleh FA. Antihyperglycemic and hepatoprotective properties of miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) compared to aspartame in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. J Integr Med 2020;18(6):514-521.
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), Turck D, et al. Safety of dried fruits of Synsepalum dulcificum as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. EFSA J 2021;19(6):e06600.