Mango Fruit

Photo-Mango

The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India/Bangladesh from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango, M. foetida) are also grown on a more localized basis, Mangifera indica - the common mango or Indian mango - is the only mango tree commonly cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions, and its fruit is distributed essentially worldwide.

Description

Mango trees (Mangifera indica L.) grow up to 35–40 m (115–130 ft) tall, with a crown radius of 10 m (33 ft). The mango tree is long-lived, as some specimens still fruit after 300 years.[citation needed] In deep soil, the taproot descends to a depth of 6 m (20 ft) with profuse, wide-spreading feeder roots; the tree also sends down many anchor roots, which penetrate several feet of soil. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, 15–35 cm (5.9–14 in) long and 6–16 cm (2.4–6.3 in) broad; when the leaves are young they are orange-pink, rapidly changing to a dark glossy red, then dark green as they mature. The flowers are produced in terminal panicles 10–40 cm (3.9–16 in) long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long, with a mild sweet odor suggestive of lily of the valley. The fruit takes three to six months to ripen.

Photo-Mango- Different Slice

 

The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow, orange, red or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp. Ripe, unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell. Inside the pit 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) thick is a thin lining covering a single seed, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long. The seed contains the plant embryo. The ripe fruit varies in size and color. Cultivars are variously yellow, orange, red or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp. Ripe, unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell. Inside the pit 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) thick is a thin lining covering a single seed, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long. The seed contains the plant embryo.

Photo-Mango roundabout, Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

 

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, leukemia and prostate cancers. 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 mg or 25% of recommended daily levels of vitamin A. Together; these compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is known to protect body from lung and oral cavity cancers.

• Fresh mango is a very rich source of potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps 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 body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production in the brain. It also controls homocystiene levels in the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in CAD and stroke.

•  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.   
•  Mango peels are also rich in phytonutrients, such as the pigment antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.

Photo-Mango-flower

Photo-Mango_Flower & Small_Mango

Photo-Fruits_Hanging_Mango_Tree

 

 

 

 

 

Photo-Hanging-Mango-01

Photo-Hanging-Mango-02

Mango recipes

Mangoes with cream

Ingredients:
Ripe mango (not overripe), whipped cream (not too sweet)
Instructions:
Peel the mango and cut in small cubes or slices. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Serve with the whipped cream.

Mango sauce

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangoes (not overripe), 4 tablespoons fine sugar (or less), 2 tablespoons rum, Lime or lemon juice
Instructions:
Peel the the mango and remove all the mango flesh off the seed. Put the mango flesh in a blender together with the sugar and the rum and blend until you have a smooth sauce. To adjust the taste you can add some lime or lemon juice. Use this sauce in combination with tropical fruit salads. Pour the sauce over cubed and chilled pieces of fruit, or use it as a dip for pieces of fruit (pineapple, banana, papaya, etc.)

Spicy Mango Salad

Ingredients
1) Green sour mango 1-2 fruits
2) Roasted peanut or cashew nut
3) Dried shrimp
4) Thin sliced red onion
5) Dried chili
6) Chopped Red chilies
7) Chopped coriander
8) Palm sugar
9) Fish sauce


Instructions:

Peel mango and rinse with the clean water. Cut the mango to get long thin pieces. Mix palm sugar with fish sauce and a little bit of dried chili, adjust taste as you like. Put mango in a bowl then add peanut or cashew nut, dried shrimp, red onion and red chilies. Mix them well then add the sauce, mix them well and adjust the taste again. Serve in a plate, topping it with the cashew nut and coriander.

Photo-Mango

Photo-Mango-on-Tree