大千世界:你可能不知道的20种水果(下)

 
1. Miracle FruitSynsepalum dulcificum 神秘果（拉丁名：Synsepalum dulcificum）

      The miracle fruit, or sweet berries, is a very strange berry native to West Africa. What makes the fruit strange and miraculous, is miraculin (a sugar substitute), which is found in large quantities in the fruit, combined with a glycoprotein. The fruit itself does not contain a lot of sugar, and tastes only mildly sweet but when eaten, the glycoprotein binds to the tongues taste buds, which, for about an hour after eating the fruit, distorts any other taste into sweetness. With that effect you could technically eat a lemon, and it would taste like a ball of syrup. Although the definite reason for this occurrence is not fully understood, it would seem as if the miraculin distorts the shape of the sweetness receptors in the tongue so that they pick up on acid instead of sweetness. The sweetness receptors on your tongue then transmit to the brain to taste sweetness when they come in contact with any acidity. In the 70s attempts were made to commercialize and sell the fruit as a diet aid, as it has the potential to turn any meal sweet, without affecting your calorie intake. These attempts were shattered when the FDA declared it a food additive, due to pressure from sugar companies who could foresee big losses in profits. In the last two years the berries have been making a comeback, by being the guest star of many tasting parties in the states. The berries are dried and exported, and the party guests each have one and then taste all kinds of common foods to experience a new taste sensation with every bite.

      神秘果，或称甜浆果，原产地为西非，是一种非常奇妙的浆果。神秘果之所以奇妙神奇，是因水果中含有大量的神秘果素（代糖），合成一种糖蛋白（变味糖蛋白）。这种水果本身并不含有太多的糖分，它尝上去仅仅微甜；但吃了神秘果之后，变味糖蛋白扰乱了舌头上的味蕾功能，之后任何味道都变成了甜味，这种状态可以持续一小时左右。效果就如同，你实际上吃的是一个酸柠檬，但却感觉就像在吃糖浆一样。这种现象的原因尚未十分明确，但似乎是神秘果素扰乱了舌头上的味蕾感受器的功能，让它们只选择感受甜味而对酸味的感觉产生麻痹。（不论哪种酸味的水果，总是含有一些果糖，只是因为酸性成分大于甜性成分，所以，我们感觉到的只是酸味，而无甜味）吃了神秘果后，我们舌头上的味觉感受器接触到任何酸味食物，都会只感觉到其中甜味成分，然后传输给大脑。在70年代，曾试图把这种水果商业化，把其当利于减肥的商品来销售，因为神秘果可以把任何膳食变甜，却不增加热量的摄入。当食品及药物管理局宣布神密果为食品添加剂时，制糖企业预见这会让他们利益损失惨重，所以大力施压，这种尝试最终以失败而告终。最近两年，这种浆果再度卷土重来，在全国各举办的各种品尝宴会上，它都是特邀嘉宾。神秘果晒干后就可以运输，宴会中的每位宾客都会吃上一枚，然后再品尝各种各样的普通食品，每吃一口，都会体验到一种奇妙的新口味。
     
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