Mango 101- top insights and benefits guide

Did you know that mangoes are a popular food item all over the globe and that they are farmed in many different countries?

• According to the estimations provided by industry professionals, more than 20 million tonnes of mangoes are cultivated and consumed around the globe each and every year. They are recognised as the national fruits of several nations, including the Philippines, India, and Pakistan, to name a few.
• The mango is often referred to as the “king of fruits” due to its widespread popularity. Throughout Southeast Asia, it was traditional for kings and nobility to possess their own own mango trees. In addition to that, they had private cultivators. It was a sign of social rank and a source of great pride to own mango trees.
• Did you know that poison ivy and mangoes both originate from the same family of flowering plants? Mangoes are a member of the Anacardiaceae family. To answer your question, poison ivy and pistachio trees do in fact come from the same family of flowering plants. It is a member of the Anachardiaceae family, which also contains the cashew and the Jamaican plum.
• The mango tree is considered to be very significant in Hinduism. It is supposed to make one’s desires come true. During celebrations such as Diwali and Pongal, as well as other holidays, it is customary to hang mango leaves at the front door of one’s home in the hope that doing so would bring the family good fortune.

Mango nutrition values and health benefits

1. Mangoes contain a lot of different vitamins, but especially vitamin C. A serving size of one cup offers 66% of the total daily value. You will also get a healthy dosage of vitamin A (11%), vitamin B6 (11%), as well as lower levels of vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, niacin, and pantothenic acid. These vitamins will all be beneficial to your health.
2. Mangoes include a variety of beneficial substances for one’s health, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For instance, vitamin K makes it easier for your blood to coagulate and also aids in the prevention of anaemia. In addition to this, it contributes significantly to the process of helping to strengthen your bones.
3. The proper functioning of the immune system, robust connective tissue, and healthy blood vessel walls all need adequate amounts of vitamin C. In the United States, vitamin C deficiency is very uncommon; yet, not obtaining enough of this vitamin may result in poor wound healing, joint discomfort, and in severe instances, scurvy, which can be deadly if left untreated. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits and vegetables.
4. The yellow-orange hue of mangoes is due to the presence of the pigment beta-carotene, which is found in high concentrations in the fruit. Mangoes contain a wide variety of antioxidants, including beta-carotene, which is one of them. It has been shown that the antioxidants included in mangos help combat free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can harm your cells and perhaps lead to cancer.
5. Mangoes are not only beneficial to your digestive system but also to your cardiovascular system. They are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that have been linked to a reduction in blood pressure and a more consistent heartbeat. In addition, mangos are the only known source of the chemical component known as mangiferin. Preliminary research suggests that mangiferin may be capable of reducing inflammation in the heart.
6. Consuming mangoes might help keep your digestive system in check. Because they contain both amylase chemicals and dietary fibre, consuming them may assist in relieving symptoms of constipation. Compounds of amylase may facilitate the dissolution of other foods in the stomach, hence facilitating the breakdown of resistant starches. In the meanwhile, studies have shown that the fibre found in mangoes may be more helpful than equal fibre pills for relieving constipation.
7. Folate, which is abundant in mangoes, is essential for the replication of DNA and the proper division of cells. It is essential to get at least 400 mcg of folate on a daily basis if you want to reduce your risk of having a child who was born with a problem. This recommendation comes from medical professionals.
8. It is possible to be allergic to mangoes, and studies have shown that mango and other foods, such as cashews, pistachios, and papaya, may trigger allergic reactions in those who are allergic to mangoes.
9. The urushiol found in mango skin is similar to the urushiol found in poison ivy, which is another common allergen. When you contact poison ivy, you break out in a rash that is red and itchy because of a chemical called urushiol. Even while mango skin has a lower concentration of urushiol than poison ivy, it still has the potential to induce rashes and allergic reactions. When eating peeled fruit, there is a remote possibility that some individuals may have an allergic reaction. If you have ever had an adverse response to poison ivy, you should use extreme caution while peeling the fruit and under no circumstances should you try to consume the skin.

100g of mango has 60 calories (252kj), 0.8g protein, 0.4g fat, and 15g carbs, including 1.6g fibre.

How to store mango and how to buy them

• The question now is, how can you know whether a mango is ripe? There are a few different aspects that need to be considered:
  1. Feel. What you should be concentrating on is how you feel. The texture of the mango need to be on the softer side, but it should not be mushy. To put it another way, the fruit should yield slightly when subjected to little pressure.
  2. Smell. When the stem emits a scent that is reminiscent of fruit, it is an indication that the mango is mature and ready to be eaten. However, mine did not have a very strong odour, and the quality of the fruit was not affected in any way.
  3. Skin shrivelling. If the skin begins to shrink away from the stem end of the fruit, this indicates that the fruit is ripe and is really beginning to get overripe.
  4. Unfortunately, the colour of the mango is not a reliable predictor of whether or not it is ripe. This is due to the fact that many kinds have varying pigmentation, and the colour of some of them does not change at all as the fruit matures.
• The amount of time necessary for an unripe mango to reach its full maturity might range anywhere from one day to seven days. Everything is determined by the fruit. The one that is already yellowish and slightly squishy in certain spots will be mature considerably sooner than the one that is uniformly green all over and feels solid when you press it with your finger.
• If you store ripe mangoes in the refrigerator, they should be good for at least 5 days after being picked. It seems to reason that you may get a further day or two out of it if the one you put in the refrigerator was not quite ripe when you put it there.
• That paper bag will come in handy for you in the event that you need to hasten the maturation process of the fruit. It will aid in the ripening process by assisting in the capture of the ethylene gas that is produced by the fruit. Place an avocado or tomato inside the bag to produce even more ethylene, which will cause the process to go along even more quickly. In addition to that, you may put in an apple, a banana, or any other fruit or vegetable that is known to create the gas in question.
• The refrigerator is your best bet for achieving a perfectly ripe mango. The reason for this is that mangoes will continue to ripen even when stored at room temperature, which will ultimately result in a shorter shelf life. The unpackaged fruit in its whole may be stored in the refrigerator without the need for any additional containers. When it comes to sliced mango, place the pieces in a container that will not let air in and then place the container in the refrigerator. It is as simple as that.
• When stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or resealable bag, cut mango, including halves, slices, cubes, and mango puree, stays fresh for three to four days. If you want more time, you may want to consider freezing the chopped mango. You have most likely seen frozen mango in the freezer sections of grocery stores, and there is no reason why you cannot freeze mango on your own.
• It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out whether or not a mango has gone bad. It is not hard to decipher any of the clues. The following are a few of the more frequent ones:
  1. Flesh that is mushy. The texture of a ripe mango is somewhat yielding, yet it is in no way mushy. If yours has gotten to this point, it is probably advisable to throw it away at this point. The same thing should be done if there are any significant sunken locations. If your mango is fairly old, the flesh near the rind may begin to colour and become more tender. This is a sign of ripeness. If the discoloured sections can be easily cut away, you should do so and continue utilising the remainder of the material.
  2. Oozing liquid. Throw away the mango, it is no longer edible.
  3. Significantly darkened patches on the skin. Once the fruit begins to develop a dark colour, it is a clear sign that it has become overripe and is no longer edible. To clarify, a few black spots here and there are quite OK. Please notice this. My specimen was abundant in seeds, and the flesh of the fruit was delicious. Take a look at the picture that is provided below.
  4. Mould. This should come as no surprise.
  5. Last but not least, you should toss away the fruit if you get the impression that there is anything wrong with it, such as if it smells or tastes strange. Your senses are fairly capable of determining whether or not a piece of fruit can be consumed by humans. Pay attention to them!

Cooking techniques, secrets, and tips from the kitchen

1. The taste of ripe mango is sweet and tropical, with undertones that are reminiscent of a combination of peach and pineapple. Mangoes are cultivated commercially and tend to have a blend of sweet and sour flavours with a texture that is comparable to that of a peach when they are mature. Some types of mangoes are sweeter than others, and the texture might vary. Unripe mango is used often in savoury recipes because of its crisp texture and sour flavour (it is not sweet).
2. Mango may be prepared quickly and easily if the following stages are followed correctly:
   • Place the mango on the cutting board so that the pointed end is pointing down and the stem end is pointing up.
   • To get one “cheek,” use your knife to make a cut that goes all the way through the flesh of the fruit approximately 1 centimetre (or half the width of a finger) away from the centre of the fruit.
   • It should be repeated on the other side of the mango.
   • To remove as much flesh as possible, trim the sides of the centre part on the diagonal, following the lines of the stone.
   • It will be much simpler to remove the skin if you first divide each cheek in half and then cut it into quarters.
   • While maintaining a downward angle with the blade of the knife parallel to the cutting board, insert the knife into the flesh just above the skin. To remove it, carefully slide along the contour of the skin.
   • Cut the flesh into thin wedges, or dice it for portions that are more manageable in size.
3. There are three qualities that mangoes possess that contribute to their versatility as a component in the kitchen:
   • The first thing we could comment on is its overall feel. Mango pulp, after it has been cooked, becomes thick, making it an ideal ingredient for making a wide variety of sauces.
   • It is not too sweet in any way. Its flavour, after cooked, is not as sweet as the flavour of other fruits, such as apples, when they are cooked. Since a result, it is the ideal complement to meat and fish meals, as its flavour does not compete with that of the main ingredients.
   • Its colour, which may be red, orange, or ochre, offers wonderful contrasts for your recipes that include green vegetables and can also be used to give a touch of colour to an outstanding fish that has been cooked but does not have an appealing colour.
4. For dinner, you and your guests will be transported to the tropics thanks to the exotic flavours of coconut and mango. Fish fillets that have been sautéed and topped with a mango salsa that has a bit of a bite to it pair well with the crunchy coconut crust. The coconut contributes a little of sweetness to the dish, while the curry powder imparts a more complex flavour and maybe even a hint of heat to the dish due to the curry powder’s use. In order to prepare the perfect salsa, mix the mango, onion, lime juice, red pepper, vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, cilantro, and curry powder together in a big mixing bowl until everything is well incorporated.
5. Both mango and custard fans will fall in love with this magnificent delicacy. A blender, food processor, or chopper may make quick work of the dish, allowing you to have it on the table in under 20 minutes. This custard has less fat than those prepared with dairy cream thanks to the addition of coconut milk, which also gives it a rich, tropical taste. Two perfectly ripe mangoes are required for this sweet treat. Depending on the kind and ripeness of the mangoes you use, the final colour of your custard might vary from pale to vibrant orange. Before serving, sprinkle the tops of the custard with the fresh mango cubes that you set aside. If desired, garnish with fresh mint leaves.

History of mango from the beginning until today

• Mangoes initially emerged as fruit in northern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and north-eastern India. The mango is thought to be an evolutionary anachronism, meaning that a megafauna species, now extinct, dispersed its seeds.
• Arab and Persian traders transported tropical Asian mangoes to East Africa in the 9th and 10th centuries. The 14th-century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta reported it in Mogadishu.
• The Portuguese Empire spread mangoes from Goa to Asia and Africa, especially East and West Africa. West Africans introduced it to Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• From Brazil to the Caribbean and eastern Mexico by the mid-18th century. The Manila galleons of the Spanish Empire have delivered mangoes from the Philippines to western Mexico since the 16th century. After arriving in Florida in 1833, mangoes became popular.
• Filipinos eat green mangoes with bagoong (salty fish or shrimp paste). Mango floats, desserts, and juice are very popular in the Philippines. Dried strips of luscious, ripe mango (frequently combined with seedless tamarind to make mangorind) are also sold. Mango juice and nectar may be used to flavour and make mango ice cream and sorbets.
• Mango-based drinks and sweets include juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit bars, raspados, aguas frescas, pies, and sweet chilli sauce, prepared by combining mango with chamoy, a sweet and spicy chilli paste. It is popular when served on a stick with hot chilli powder and salt or as a main ingredient in fresh fruit combinations. Mango is eaten green with salt, vinegar, black pepper, and spicy sauce in Central America, or ripe in various ways. Americans eat mango uncooked.
• Unripe, sour mangoes are used in Bengali chutneys, pickles, daals, and other side dishes, as well as pickled vegetables. Mango pulp boiled into a jelly or cooked with red dhal and green chilis may be served with separate-pot rice. Mango lassi, popular in South Asia, was traditionally produced by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar.
• Milkshakes made with mango chunks and milk and ice are fantastic. Dessert is coconut-flavored glutinous rice with mango slices. Southeast Asians pickle mangoes and papayas with fish sauce and rice vinegar. Green mangoes, fish sauce, and dried shrimp make a delightful mango salad. Mango and sweetened condensed milk may top shaved ice.