How Miracle Fruit Affects Spicy Food

To understand how spicy food and miracle fruit interact, we must learn how spicy food affects our mouth and body normally. 

What Makes Foods Spicy?

In peppers and spicy foods, there is an an active ingredient called capsaicin. This ingredient can be found throughout a pepper, but more prevalent in the skin that holds the seeds. When you eat something spicy, the VR1 receptors on your tongue send signals to your brain that something is not right. When your body detects spicy, it tells your body that you are in danger. Spicy is not a flavor, but rather a sensation or experience. Your body is not suppose to detect spicy but it does so accidentally through the VR1 receptors. These receptors are used to detect if food is hot and pain so it protects you from burning your mouth.

Miracle Fruit & Spicy Food Interaction

Since spicy is not considered a flavor, there is not a lot the miracle fruit can do. The receptors that detect spice are not ones that Miraculin (glycoprotein responsible for the change) attaches to.

While foods like jalapenos, chilis, and hot sauce may change, due to other molecules being present. Jalapenos, chilis, and hot sauces have other occurring flavors that will be changed by miracle fruit. However, the capsaicin will not be changed. 

This is a great reason to not attempt the one chip challenge or the world hottest sauce with miracle fruit. You will be in pain and should always have milk around to deter the capsaicin.