The king of the fruits”, mango fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavour, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called “super fruits”.

Mango is one of the delicious tropical seasonal fruit and believed to be originated in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs to the family of Anacardiaceae, a family that also includes numerous species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plants such as cashew, pistachio...etc.

Scientific name: Mangifera Indica
.Mango is a tropical tree cultivated in many regions of India and now distributed wide across the world in many continents. 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 cm in length and about 4 to 10 cm 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 on the cultivar.

Internally, juicy flesh has orange-yellow in colour with numerous soft fibrils radiating from the husk (enveloping a single large kidney-shaped seed). Flavour is pleasant and rich, and tastes sweet with mild tartness. A high quality mango fruit should feature no or very less fibre content and minimal sour taste. Mango seed may either has a single embryo, or sometimes polyembryonic.

Health benefits

Mangoes are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are also an excellent source of dietary fibre and vitamin B6, as well as a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. Mangoes are rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium and copper, and they are one of the best sources of quercetin, beta-carotene, and astragalin. These powerful antioxidants have the power to neutralize free radicals throughout the body. Ailments like heart disease, premature aging, cancer and degenerative diseases are due to these free radicals that damage the cells.

In China, mangoes are sweet and sour and offer a cooling sensation. The tonic made from mangoes in Chinese herbal medicine is known as yin tonic, and it is used to treat bleeding gums, anaemia, cough, constipation, nausea, fever, sea sickness and as a cure for weak digestion.

Keeps Blood Pressure Under Control: Mangoes have an impressive vitamin content that assures overall health. They are rich in potassium (4% in 156 mg) and magnesium (2% in 9 mg), and mangoes are great natural remedies for high blood pressure patients. They also contain selenium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Mangoes are said to be vitamin powerhouses as they are rich in riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin A ,vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, niacin, folate, thiamin and pantothenic acid. These components help you to avoid a host of diseases that can come from deficiencies of these vitamins and minerals. The vitamin E content in mangoes can even help to boost your sex life by triggering the activity of your sex hormones.

Cancer Prevention and Heart Health: Mangoes have high amounts of pectin, a soluble dietary fibre that efficiently contributes to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Pectin can also help prevent you from developing prostate cancer. Recently, studies at The Institute for Food Research discovered that a compound within pectin combines with galectin 3 (a protein playing significant role in all the stages of cancer). The European Prospective Investigation of Cancer also has come up with a strong association between eating mango and lowering the risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Weight Gain:  Mango consumption is one of the easiest ways to gain weight. 150g of mango has around 86 calories, which can be absorbed easily by the body. Moreover, mangoes contain starch, which transforms into sugar that aids in gaining weight. Some people work hard to put on weight for a variety of reasons, and mango should definitely be a part of their diet. Mango milkshakes will accelerate the process of gaining weight since they also contain milk, and are notoriously delicious!

Aids Digestion: Mangoes play a prominent role in eliminating problems such as indigestion and excess acidity. The digestive enzymes in mangoes help to promote natural, efficient digestion. The bioactive ingredients in mangoes like esters, terpenes and aldehydes contribute in enhancing appetite and also improve the function of the digestive system.

Cures Anaemia & Helps in Pregnancy: Mangoes are rich in iron, which makes them beneficial for people suffering from anaemia. A regular, moderated intake of mangoes can help eliminate anaemia by increasing the red blood cell count in the body.

Mangoes are also very beneficial for pregnant woman, since the iron requirements during pregnant is extremely essential. Doctors often prescribe iron tablets during pregnancy, but instead of supplementation, you can enjoy a healthy iron-rich diet with juicy mangoes. The taste buds during pregnancy usually lose some of their sensitivity, so mangoes will surely prove to be the delight of your day, for more than just its health benefits.

Cures Acne: Perhaps you are surprised to know that mangoes are closely related to skin health. Other than bringing a healthy glow to your face, mangoes also help to lighten skin colour. You can easily enhance your beauty by including this tasty fruit in your diet on a regular basis.

Mangoes effectively treat acne by opening the clogged pores of the skin. Once these pores are opened, acne formation will eventually stop. Unclogging the pores of the skin is the most effective way to eliminate acne. To enjoy this benefit, there is no need to eat mangoes every day; you need to remove the mango pulp and apply it on the skin for around 10 minutes, then rinse it off.

Slows the Signs of Aging: Mangoes contain high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, which both help to produce collagen proteins inside the body. Collagen helps to protect blood vessels and the body’s connective tissues, thereby slowing down the skin’s natural aging process. Therefore, mangoes can rightly be called an anti-aging food. Dietary supplementation is the best way to restore your youth in a natural and delicious way.

Promotes Brain Health: Mangoes have abundant quantities of vitamin B6, which is vital for maintaining and improving the brain’s function. These vitamins aid in the amalgamation of the major neurotransmitters that contributes in determining mood and the modification of sleeping patterns. Mangoes naturally provide significant quantities of this vitamin. With mangoes as a part of your diet, you can be assured of a healthy brain and effective nerve functioning. You will also be avoiding medicinal supplements, which have a long list of possible side effects. The Glutamine acid content in mangoes also improves concentration and the power of your memory.

Boosts Body Immunity: As mentioned earlier, similar to carrots, mangoes are rich in beta-carotene, a powerful carotenoid. This element of mango helps in to enhance the immune system of the body and make it impervious to bacteria and toxins. Excess beta-carotene is also transformed into vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A is another antioxidant vitamin and gives you additional protection against the free radicals that can harm your internal systems. Thus, mangoes are great choice for food items to add into your regular diet. They not only increase your chances of living a disease-free life, but is also a pleasure to eat due to its magnificent taste.

Diabetes Management and Prevention: Further research is still ongoing, but some studies have already revealed that mangoes are a great natural remedy for diabetes. It was a long-told myth that diabetic patients should avoid mangoes because of its sweet taste; now it is being shown that other than the fruit, the mango leaves are also helpful in curing diabetes. Place 10 or 15 mango leaves in warm water and close it with a lid before going to bed. In the morning, drink the water on an empty stomach after filtering the leaves. Regular practice of this method has shown positive results for diabetic patients in the management of their blood sugar levels.