What Are Miracle Berries and Are They Safe?

We all have our preferred tastes. Some of us enjoy pucker-inducing snacks, while others enjoy foods on the sweeter side. If you’ve searched for ways to make certain foods less bitter, miracle berries may be a solution.

And while this fruit doesn’t work actual miracles, it may have a way of making life (or at least, your meals) a little sweeter.

The idea is that these berries can change the perception of certain foods — like sour limes or even tangy mustard — without actually changing the food’s composition. This is due to a specific protein in the berries that affects our taste receptors. Kind of like a true natural sweetener.

Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, explains what miracle berries are, what their benefits may be and how to safely take them.

What are miracle berries?

Yes, you read that right. So-called “miracle berries” can change the way we taste things — but only to an extent. Miracle berries, or Synsepalum dulcificum, are native to West Africa and are also known as miracle fruit because of the interesting effect they have on taste.

They contain a glycoprotein (a type of protein attached to carbohydrates) called miraculin, which binds to your tongue’s taste buds and temporarily alters your perception of certain tastes. Specifically, these berries can make sour or bitter foods taste sweet.

How do they work?

What makes miracle berries a natural sweetener isn’t magic or fairy dust, but rather the way the miraculin protein binds to our sweet receptors.

In a 2020 study, researchers tested how people experienced the taste of different sampled foods like green apples, lemonade and goat cheese. The results suggested that consuming miracle berries with certain foods helped increase their sweetness and suppress their sour taste.

The receptors are then activated by the acid found in sour foods, which makes them taste sweeter. The effect can last up to two hours.

What are the benefits of miracle berries?

Aside from miracle berries being your new favorite fun fact to share at parties, can they actually benefit you in other ways?

Here are some other benefits to consider:

• Reduced sugar consumption. Miracle berries can be used as a natural sweetener, which may help you reduce the amount of refined sugars you eat. Eating too much refined sugar can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and other health issues. “For people who really crave sugar or sweets, this can help enhance the sweetness of other foods so it actually can help you decrease how much sugar you eat,” says Zumpano. Especially if you need to get more vitamin C in your diet (think: lemons, limes or grapefruit) or if you’re trying to replace your soda consumption with citrus water, miracle berries can help. “When you take the miracle fruit in combination with some of those sour or bitter foods, they’ll actually taste sweet. So, it can start to increase or enhance the variability of your diet,” she adds.
• Improved appetite and taste perception. If you’re going through cancer treatment or have a medical condition that affects your sense of taste or appetite, miracle berries may help improve your taste perception and stimulate your appetite. “There is some research on it being used to help with some taste loss, like with certain chemotherapy drugs or cancer treatments,” shares Zumpano. “It’s been shown to possibly enhance taste there and help revive more variability in the diet and hopefully increase intake.” If you’re undergoing cancer treatment, you shouldn’t consume miracle berries without the referral or guidance of your doctor.
• Antioxidant properties. The last benefit is one that’s attributed to many different berries. Just like its relatives, miracle berries also contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants that help protect your body against damage from free radicals. Antioxidants are important for maintaining overall health and preventing chronic diseases and even cell damage. “They’re also rich in terpenoids and flavonoids, which have shown to have antioxidant properties,” says Zumpano.

Possible drawbacks of taking miracle berries

While miracle berries are generally considered safe for most people to consume, there’s a lot we still don’t know. Before considering taking them, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Allergic reactions. Some people may be allergic to miracle berries or the protein miraculin found in the fruit. If you have a known allergy to other berries or fruits, you should be careful when trying miracle berries or talk to a healthcare provider first.
• Interactions with medications. Miracle berries may interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners or diabetes medications. If you’re taking any medications, you should talk to your healthcare provider before consuming miracle berries.
• Altered perception of taste. There’s also no guarantee that miracle berries will affect everyone’s taste perception the same way. While the altered taste sensation caused by miracle berries can be fun and enjoyable for some people, it may not be suitable for everyone. People who have sensory processing disorders or certain medical conditions affecting taste may find the altered taste unpleasant or even distressing.
• Lack of nutritional value. Last, miracle berries aren’t a solution to any health or dietary issues. On their own, miracle berries aren’t a significant source of nutrients or vitamins and shouldn’t be relied on as a source of nutrition.

Bottom line? Think of miracle berries as less of a miracle, and more of a complement to your dietary needs. Especially if you’re going through diet changes or are having trouble switching to healthier foods that are on the bitter or sour side.

But even with these possible benefits, you should still proceed with caution, as these berries aren’t well-regulated or readily available. And, again, talk to your healthcare provider about any of your medications or health conditions that could interact poorly with miracle berries.