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Miraculin is a glycoprotein extracted from the fruit of the miracle fruit plant  The berry contains active polyphenols
Miraculin itself is not sweet. However, after the taste buds are exposed to miraculin, ordinarily sour foods, such as citrus, are perceived as sweet.

Miraculin is not sweet by itself  but it can change a sour beverage into a sweet beverage, even for a long period after consumption. The duration and intensity of the taste-modifying phenomena depends on various factors — miraculin concentration, duration of contact of the miraculin with the tongue, and acid concentration. Maximum sweet-induced response has been shown to be equivalent to the sweetness of 17% sucrose solution.
Glycoprotein is sensitive to heat: when heated over 100 °C, miraculin loses its taste-modifying property. Miraculin activity is inactivated at pH below 3 and pH above 12 at room temperature. The sweet modifying effect stays at pH 4 (in acetate buffer), for 6 months at 5 °C.
As miraculin is a readily soluble protein and relatively heat stable, it is a potential sweetener in acidic food (e.g. soft drinks).

Health Benefits
Miracle fruit, or rather the protein molecule miraculin contained within the fruit, has been found to have substantial health benefits for people struggling with:
› Cancer (chemotherapy)
› Diabeties
› Weight loss
› Heavy medications
Sources:
http://www.miraclefruithealth.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_fruit