Health Check; Mango
Regarded as "the king of fruits", mango fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruits with unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities, making it numero-uno among new functional foods, often labeled as “super fruits". Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits grown in the tropics. The tree is believed to originate from the sub-Himalayan plains of the 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.
The mango tree is a tropical tree cultivated in many regions of India, with its farming now extended wide across the world in many continents. Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cms in length and about 4 to 10 cms in width, and has an oval or round shape. Each fruit weighs between 150 gm to around 750 gm. Outer skin (pericarp) is smooth and is green in unripe mangoes and golden yellow, crimson red, yellow or orange-red when ripe, depending upon the cultivar type. Fresh mango season lasts from April until August.
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, breast, prostate cancers and leukemia. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast 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 IU or 25% of recommended daily levels of Vitamin A. Together, these compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucos and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium and just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps in 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 B6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocysteine levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke.
Further, it contains 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.
Selection and storage
Mangoes are seasonal fruits; fresh mango fruit season begins by March ending when its rich fragrance heralds its arrival in the markets. They are usually harvested while they are green but perfectly matured. Unripe ones are extremely sour in taste. Organic mangoes are left to ripen on the tree; however, over-ripe fruits fall off from the tree and tend to get spoiled.
Choose ones with intact skin without any bruises or cuts. Unripe mangoes can be kept at room temperature for a few days. To ripen them, keep in paper covers. Ripe fruits should be stored in the refrigerator but never below 10° F (50°C). Bring back to normal temperature when the fruit is to be eaten to get the natural taste and flavor.
The mango tree is a tropical tree cultivated in many regions of India, with its farming now extended wide across the world in many continents. Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cms in length and about 4 to 10 cms in width, and has an oval or round shape. Each fruit weighs between 150 gm to around 750 gm. Outer skin (pericarp) is smooth and is green in unripe mangoes and golden yellow, crimson red, yellow or orange-red when ripe, depending upon the cultivar type. Fresh mango season lasts from April until August.
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, breast, prostate cancers and leukemia. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast 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 IU or 25% of recommended daily levels of Vitamin A. Together, these compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucos and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 156 mg of potassium and just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps in 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 B6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocysteine levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke.
Further, it contains 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.
Selection and storage
Mangoes are seasonal fruits; fresh mango fruit season begins by March ending when its rich fragrance heralds its arrival in the markets. They are usually harvested while they are green but perfectly matured. Unripe ones are extremely sour in taste. Organic mangoes are left to ripen on the tree; however, over-ripe fruits fall off from the tree and tend to get spoiled.
Choose ones with intact skin without any bruises or cuts. Unripe mangoes can be kept at room temperature for a few days. To ripen them, keep in paper covers. Ripe fruits should be stored in the refrigerator but never below 10° F (50°C). Bring back to normal temperature when the fruit is to be eaten to get the natural taste and flavor.
Culled and edited. Images: Google
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