Mango

Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

Appearance & Taste: Mango fruit is oval, egg-shaped and usually has a length of between 2-9 inches long. The skin, itself, is smooth and colored somewhere between a green, red and orangey-yellow. On the inside is a large, flat seed surrounded by soft, golden yellow pulp. This pulp is the part of the Mango we usually eat and in taste provides a sweet, aromatic, smooth and luxurious flavor.

Origin: The mango is native to southern Asia, especially Burma and eastern India. It spread early on to Malaya, eastern Asia and eastern Africa. Mangos were introduced to California (Santa Barbara) in 1880.

The name mango is ultimately either from the Kodagu mange, the Malayalam manga, or the Tamil mangai, and was loaned into Portuguese in the early 16th century, and from Portuguese passed into English. The ending in -o appears in English and is of unclear origin.

History: Cultivation and domestication of mangos probably began in the Indian subcontinent, where they have been grown for more than 4000 years. Buddhist monks took mango plants on voyages to Malaya and eastern Asia in the 4th and 5th centuries BC.

Mangoes were carried to Africa during the 16th century and later found their way aboard Portuguese ships to Brazil in the 1700's. Later, in 1742, mangoes were found growing in the West Indies. In 1860, mangoes were successfully introduced to Florida along the East Coast, where only a few varieties were grown. In 1889, the United States Department of Agriculture introduced a grafted variety from India called the Mulgoa, also known as Mulgoba in the United States.

Nutrition Facts: Mangos are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as a good source of Potassium and contain beta carotene. Mangos are high in fiber, but low in calories.

Raw mango consists of about 81.7% water, 17% carbohydrate, 0.5% protein, 0.3% fat, and 0.5% ash. A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of raw mango has 65 calories and about half the vitamin C found in oranges. Mango contains more vitamin A than most fruits.

Uses: Mangoes are used as blood builders. Because of their high iron content they are suggested for treatment of anemia and are beneficial to women during pregnancy and menstruation. People who suffer from muscle cramps, stress, and heart problems can benefit from the high potassium and magnesium content that also helps those with acidosis.