The king of the fruits," mango fruit is one of the
most popular, nutritionally rich fruits with
unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath
promoting qualities making it a common
ingredient in new functional foods often labeled
“super fruits."
Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits
grow in the tropics. . Botanically, this exotic
fruit belongs within the family of Anacardiaceae,
a family that also includes numerous species of
tropical-fruiting trees in the flowering plants
such as cashew, pistachio,...etc.
Usually, fruits grow at the end of a long, string
like stem, with sometimes more than one fruit
to a stem.
Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cms in length and
about 4 to 10 cms in width, and has typical
“mango” shape, or sometimes oval or round.
Its weight ranges from 150 gm to around 750
gm. Outer skin is smooth and is green in un-
ripe mangoes but turns into golden yellow,
bright, yellow or orange-red when ripen
depending upon the cultivar. Fresh mango
season lasts from April until August.
Mango comes in different shapes and sizes
depending upon cultivar types. Internally, the
flesh is juicy, orange-yellow in color with
numerous soft fibrils radiating from its centrally
placed flat, oval-shaped stone (enveloping a
single large kidney-shaped seed). Its flavor is
pleasant and rich, and tastes sweet with mild
tartness. A high-quality mango fruit should
feature no or very less fiber content and
minimal sour taste. Mango seed (stone) may
either has a single embryo, or sometimes
polyembryonic.
Health benefits of Mangoes
* Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber,
vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid
antioxidant compounds.
* According to new research study, mango fruit
has been found to protect against colon,
bosom, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several
trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-
oxidant compounds in mango are known to
offer protection against bosom and colon
cancers.
* Mango fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-
A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-
carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of
fresh fruit provides 765 mg or 25% of
recommended daily levels of vitamin A.
Together; these compounds are known to have
antioxidant properties and are essential for
vision. Vitamin A is also required for
maintaining healthy mucus membranes and
skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in
carotenes is known to protect the body from
lung and oral cavity cancers.
* Fresh mango is a good source of potassium.
100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while
just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important
component of cell and body fluids that helps
controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
* It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6
(pyridoxine), vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps
the body develop resistance against infectious
agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free
radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required
for GABA hormone production within the brain.
It also controls homocystiene levels within the
blood, which may otherwise be harmful to
blood vessels resulting in CAD and stroke.
* Further, it composes moderate amounts of
copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital
enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and
superoxide dismutase (other minerals function
as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese
and zinc). Copper is also required for the
production of red blood cells.
* Additionally, mango peel is also rich in
phytonutrients, such as the pigment
antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.
most popular, nutritionally rich fruits with
unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath
promoting qualities making it a common
ingredient in new functional foods often labeled
“super fruits."
Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits
grow in the tropics. . Botanically, this exotic
fruit belongs within the family of Anacardiaceae,
a family that also includes numerous species of
tropical-fruiting trees in the flowering plants
such as cashew, pistachio,...etc.
Usually, fruits grow at the end of a long, string
like stem, with sometimes more than one fruit
to a stem.
Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cms in length and
about 4 to 10 cms in width, and has typical
“mango” shape, or sometimes oval or round.
Its weight ranges from 150 gm to around 750
gm. Outer skin is smooth and is green in un-
ripe mangoes but turns into golden yellow,
bright, yellow or orange-red when ripen
depending upon the cultivar. Fresh mango
season lasts from April until August.
Mango comes in different shapes and sizes
depending upon cultivar types. Internally, the
flesh is juicy, orange-yellow in color with
numerous soft fibrils radiating from its centrally
placed flat, oval-shaped stone (enveloping a
single large kidney-shaped seed). Its flavor is
pleasant and rich, and tastes sweet with mild
tartness. A high-quality mango fruit should
feature no or very less fiber content and
minimal sour taste. Mango seed (stone) may
either has a single embryo, or sometimes
polyembryonic.
Health benefits of Mangoes
* Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber,
vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid
antioxidant compounds.
* According to new research study, mango fruit
has been found to protect against colon,
bosom, leukemia and prostate cancers. Several
trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-
oxidant compounds in mango are known to
offer protection against bosom and colon
cancers.
* Mango fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-
A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-
carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of
fresh fruit provides 765 mg or 25% of
recommended daily levels of vitamin A.
Together; these compounds are known to have
antioxidant properties and are essential for
vision. Vitamin A is also required for
maintaining healthy mucus membranes and
skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in
carotenes is known to protect the body from
lung and oral cavity cancers.
* Fresh mango is a good source of potassium.
100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while
just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important
component of cell and body fluids that helps
controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
* It is also a very good source of vitamin-B6
(pyridoxine), vitamin-C and vitamin-E.
Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps
the body develop resistance against infectious
agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free
radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required
for GABA hormone production within the brain.
It also controls homocystiene levels within the
blood, which may otherwise be harmful to
blood vessels resulting in CAD and stroke.
* Further, it composes moderate amounts of
copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital
enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and
superoxide dismutase (other minerals function
as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese
and zinc). Copper is also required for the
production of red blood cells.
* Additionally, mango peel is also rich in
phytonutrients, such as the pigment
antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.
