Mango is the juicy stone fruit from the tropical flowering tree of the same name.
Most species grow
wildly in nature although hundreds of cultivars have been bred for commercial cultivation. They
originate from Asia and they are the national fruit of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They have been
cultivated since around 2,000 BC in India and were brought to the African continent by Arab traders and
then spread to Brazil by Portuguese explorers. Hindu religious texts are abounding with references to
mangoes as a sacred fruit. Over 500 varieties are known and the trees can grow as tall as forty meters
and can produce fruit for a long time with some mango trees that are hundreds of years old still fruiting
today.
Mangoes are sour when unripe and generally sweet when ripe. The taste and texture vary across the
different cultivars and varieties with some having a soft, juicy and pulpy flesh when ripe while others
have a firmer texture. They are usually eaten as fruits without any preparation and their skins are edible
as well. Unripe mangoes are used in Asian cuisines as part of pickles, chutneys, dahls and other dishes
and are also eaten raw with salt or chili. Mangoes can be made into juices and syrups and their pulp can
be made into jam. They can be dried and made into fruit bars and can be added to cereal products such
as muesli and oats. Mangoes make a good flavoring for ice creams, yoghurt and sorbets and they are
used as topping or blended in many dairy products. Mango leaves are also boiled to make a herbal tea
that has several health benefits.
Mangoes are rich in Vitamins A, C and Folate and also have traces of other vitamins such as Vitamin A,
Vitamin B6, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. They contain some Magnesium and Manganese though they are
generally low in other minerals. The peels, pulp and leaves of mangoes are very rich in phytochemicals
including carotenoids like lutein, beta carotene ad alpha carotene. They contain polyphenols such as
quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid and caffeic acid as well as tannins and catechins. It is these organic
plant compounds which make mangoes good for human health.
Good for digestion. Mangoes contain enzymes that aid the breakdown and digestion of protein. They
are also very rich in dietary fiber which keeps the digestive tract working efficiently and prevents
constipation as it provides the body with the roughage needed to ease the process of peristalsis which is
how food is moved through the digestive tract. Tea from mango leaves is known to work as a wonderful
stomach tonic which flushes out toxins from the alimentary canal, it is also used to treat diarrhea.
Eye Health. Mangoes are rich in beta-carotene. This is a powerful anti-oxidant which is very good for the
eyes as it protects the cells in the retina from macular degeneration. Eating foods rich in beta carotene
such as mangoes helps to prevent loss or deterioration of vision.
Immune Booster. Mangoes are rich in Vitamin C. A single large mango contains all the recommended
amount of vitamin C that an adult need for a day. Vitamin C plays a huge role in the immune system and
helps to reduce the incidences of infections.
Cough and Flu. Mango leaves are good for cough, flu, common colds and all kinds of infections of the
upper respiratory tract. An herbal tea made from boiling mango leaves with honey can be used to
effectively cure cough and as a remedy to bronchitis and asthma.
Rich Antioxidant. Mangoes are packed with polyphenols. These are plant compounds that function as
powerful antioxidants in the body. They protect our body cells from the cell damaging effects of toxins
and free radicals which affect our organs in a process called oxidative stress. Mangoes have antioxidant
compounds such as catechins, anthocyanins, quercetin, benzoic acid and many others. These
compounds help to eliminate free radicals and detoxify the body.
Anti-cancer properties. Mangoes contain anti-cancer properties and consumption of mangoes could
help in prevention of certain cancers. Mangoes contain Lupeol, a triterpene compound which is a kind of
plant hormone that has been found to be highly effective against cancer cells notable in skin cancers and
prostate cancers.