MANGO

Mango: King of Fruits

Mango is termed as “The king of the fruits”. Mango 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. The tree is believed to be originating in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent. 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

Mango originated in India and Burma. It is the national fruit of India and the Philippines and the national tree of Bangladesh. According to some, more mangos are eaten fresh than any other fruit in the world. Originated 4,000 plus years ago. In India where they are most heavily grown and eaten, mangos are known as “Aam/Keri” There are over 1,000 different varieties of mangos.

Health Benefits:

Prevents Cancer:

Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.

Lowers Cholesterol:

The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (Read my previous entry about healthy oils for more information)

Clears the Skin:

Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples.

Eye Health:

One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.

Alkalizes the Whole Body:

The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

Helps in Diabetes:

Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood.  The traditional home remedy involves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning. Mango fruit also have a relatively low glycemic index (41-60) so moderate quantities will not spike your sugar levels.

Improves Digestion:

Papayas are not the only fruit that contain enzymes for breaking down protein. There are several fruits, including mangoes, which have this healthful quality. The fiber in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.

Remedy for Heat Stroke:

Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm to the body. From an ayurvedic viewpoint, the reason people often get diuretic and exhausted when visiting equatorial climates is because the strong “sun energy” is burning up your body, particularly the muscles.  The kidneys then become overloaded with the toxins from this process.

Boosts Immune system:

The generous amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A in mangos, plus 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy and strong.

Bottom Line:

• Mangoes are a delicious and super healthy fruit
• They are full of vitamins like Vitamin A, C and E and antioxidants
• However, mangoes do tend to be very high in carbohydrate content so you have to limit it’s consumption to 2-3 per week.
• Mango juice (aam ras/keri no ras) tends to have a lot of added to sugar to it. So consume the whole fruit rather than the juice.