Apr 3 • General discussion
The ‘Miracle Berry’ Helps Remove Metallic Taste
Have you heard about this berry before?
A species of red berry native to Africa and now grown in Florida is helping cancer patients reclaim the ability to enjoy food thanks to the berry’s properties which bear a “miracle” moniker.
“Miracle berry” is known as àgbáyun in its West African home. Scientifically, it’s designated Synsepalum dulcificum, with ‘dulcificum’ referring to its unique ability to turn sour foods sweet.
So iconic and striking is the effect it has on those who consume it, the active ingredient inside the plant’s fruit is a glycoprotein that’s literally called miraculin.
Studies investigating this compound report that at low pH (resulting from ingestion of sour foods) miraculin binds proteins and becomes able to activate the sweet receptors, resulting in the immediate perception of sweet taste.
What does this have to do with cancer? Proper nutrition is important to any cancer battle, but this can often become difficult because of something called “chemo mouth.” “What patients report with chemotherapy is that they may develop a bothersome taste that could be described as metallic, rotten food,” said Dr. Mike Cusnir, an oncologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center who has led several initial studies into using miracle berries to make food more palatable for chemotherapy patients.
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The ‘Miracle Berry’ Helps Remove Metallic Taste
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