Synsepalum Dulcificum Turns Sour Food Sweet, Aids Cancer Patients

CNNHealth.com is carrying an article by Madison Park " 'Miracle Fruit' turns sour things sweet" that reports the fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, alters the taste buds so that food tastes sweet.

As the article goes on to say Synsepalum dulcificum looks like an almond and is the color of a cranberry. It tastes like a "gummy" with no flavor.

The "miracle fruit" has spawned a new social event called a "taste-tripping party," where people will pay between $10 and $35 to try different foods in conjunction with the new-found "fun fruit."

However, it is also being used for something way more important.

When cancer patients get chemotherapy often they lose their appetite and become weak which makes it all the more difficult to battle the cancer.

Part of the reason is that the taste of the food becomes "metallic." Now with the use of Synsepalum dulcificumthe food tastes good again so patients will eat and get their strength back.

One other medical area benefiting from Synsepalum dulificum is diabetes. Since the fruit doesn't carry much sugar, it can make foods low in sugar taste better helping out the diabetic

While it is being called a "miracle fruit" I dont have the same amazement as some people are exhibiting.

I don't doubt that the "magic fruit" can change flavor, it's just that there are many things that can change flavor. That would include hunger, temperature, smell, color and presentation.

On a more direct basis chefs have been doing it for decades, making the same dish or dessert taste completely different by adding seasonings, cooking it more or less and adding particular side dishes to bring out different flavors.

I love spicy food. However, many times I have trouble eating it because my tongue becomes "beat up." I particularly like hot sauce on pizza.

I was bewailing the fact that I couldn't eat as much of it as I wanted when my son told me to place hot sauce on the pizza in a reasonable quantity.

Next he said to put on my plate little "puddles" of ranch dressing, French dressing and mayonnaise. I was to alternately dip the piece of pizza into one "sauce" or another. Not only did it taste great (every time!), but while the hot sauce flavor was noticeable, it didn't ruin my vocal chords and each dip tasted a different way.

Even though Synsepalum dulificum may not be quite the miracle fruit some people think it is, it is encouraging to see it being used in valuable medical treatments.

Reference:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/25/miracle.berries.weightloss/
http://amos.indiana.edu/library/scripts/hungertaste.html