Mango - The King Of Fruits

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Mango - The King Of Fruits

By Mumtaz Khalid Ismail

 

 

Mangoes, my favourite fruit, are a god gift to the tropic. This

delicious and aromatic tropical fruit is available in different size

and shape. It is available during the hot season. Mango is regarded

as the king of the fruits. The unique shape of this golden fruit has

recognised as a symbol of Indian art and culture. The mango pattern

motif is used in different art pieces be it a brocaded sari border,

an exquisite carpet or intricate sculpture. Mangoes not only

stimulated the taste buds of our poets, many times it has fired their

imagination.

 

 

 

Botanically it is known as Magnifera Indica. Mangoes are native to

Malaysia and India and it has been in cultivation in India for at

least 4000years. In nineteenth century traders introduced the fruit

to the West Indies, Africa and South America. Arab merchants took it

to Persia and Egypt. Now mangoes are cultivated in large scale in

different countries like India, china, Malaysia, Indonesia,

Australia, and West Indies.

 

Mango tree blossom and bear fruit in regions where there is a good

rain fall for four months followed by dry weather. Rain, fog, or

cloudy weather at the time of flowering affects fertilisation and

fruit yielding.

 

 

 

Mangoes are typically curved fruits with green, pinkish gold or red

skin and glorious orange, highly perfumed flesh surrounding a very

large hairy edible flat seed. There are number of varieties of this

fruit are available. They can be round, oval, kidney shaped. Each of

these has its own flavour, taste, and pulp consistency. Popular

varieties available in India include the alphonso, jeengira,

dussehri, totapuri, neelam, banganapalli, and suvarnarekha.

 

 

Mangoes are very nutritious and excellent source of carotene as

compared to other fruits. 100 gms of edible portion of the mango

contain about 1990ug of beta-carotene (vitamin A), which is much

higher than in other fruits. The total carotenoids in mango increase

with the stage of ripening. Eating mangoes in the season may provide

a store of vitamin A in the liver, sufficient to last for the rest of

the year and highly beneficial for the prevention of vitamin A

deficient disorders like night blindness.

 

Mangoes, both ripe and unripe are very good sources of vitamin C.

16mg of vitamin C is present in 100 gms of mango. Both vitamins A and

C are anti oxidants and help to prevent free radical injury and thus

reduce the risk of certain cancers. Ripe mango provides a good source

of calories.

 

A ripe mango supplies 74kcal per 100 gms (mainly derived from

fructose). Raw mango has fewer calories compared to ripe mango. The

ripe mango fruit is also a good source of potassium and only traces

of sodium makes it suitable for hypertensive patients. Those on

potassium restricted diet like renal failure diet, should avoid

mangoes.

 

Nutritive value of mango per 100 gm*

 

Nutrients Ripe mango Green or raw mango

Protein (gm) 0.6 0.7

Fat (gm) 0.4 0.1

Minerals (gm) 0.4 0.4

Fibre (gm) 0.7 1.2

Carbohydrates (gm) 16.9 10.1

Energy (kcal) 74 44

Vitamin C (mg) 16 3

Total carotene (mcg) 2,210 90

Beta carotene (mcg) 1,990 NA

Potassium (mg) 205 83

Sodium (mg) 26 43

Calcium (mg) 14 10

Iron (mg) 1.3 0.33

Phosphorous (mg) 16 19

 

 

* Source: National Institute of Nutrition

 

 

Colour is not necessarily an indication of ripeness in a mango. Some

varieties remain green even when they are ripe, while others turn

golden or bright red or a combination. Buy unblemished fruit with no

black marks on the skin. The best way to select is firm and aromatic

fruit.

 

Storage: Ripe mangoes can be stored for days to weeks depending on

the variety. Mango slices can be canned, dried and made pulp out of

it. Raw mangoes are used mainly for drying and these can be used for

pickles and chutneys.

 

 

 

This delicious fruit is best to eat it just as a ripe fruit. Mangoes

make an exotic addition to fruits salads and can be pureed to make

sorbets and ice creams. Milk shakes, juices, jam, jellies, pickles,

mango papad, sweet meat are the usual preparation. Small ripe mangoes

can also be made mouth-watering curries with the addition of coconut

and buttermilk. Prawns and fish tastes well with the raw sour

mangoes. The raw mango pickle and chutney is famous for its tongue

twilling taste. Peeled unripe mangoes are cut into small thin pieces

and dries in the sun after seasoning with turmeric powder. This dried

material known as amchur is used as such or as a powder. Amchur is

used as a souring agent in Indian cookery. The mango seeds are also

edible it is collected in the season and dried in the shade and

powdered and stored to make many dishes. Small raw mangoes can be

steamed and put in salt solution in porcelain jars for a period of

four to five months. Later mango as required can be taken and smashed

with green chillies and a drop of oil and can be eaten as chutney.

Tender mango leaves; bark and stem are also used for anti bacterial

properties in India and other countries.