Mango

 

 

Mangos are the fruits of the same-named tropical plant. They have been cultivated in Asia for thousands of years and have been chosen to represent India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Philippines. The flowers, produced in terminal panicles, have an odor very alike to the odor of lilies and they are used in marriages and religious ceremonies. The ripe fruit varies in color from bright yellow to glossy red. The smell is a unique mix of resinous and slightly sweet odors. The seed is large and oblong with the consistence of a stone while the edible flesh is very tasty.          

The fruit is a common one in many Asian cuisines, but in Europe it is extremely appreciated. Even so, mango farmers receive little money from their mango business therefore, mangos became fair-trade available in some countries.

There are more than 30 cultivars worldwide and their nutrient and antioxidant properties are very well known and appreciated. Just 160 grams of mango (half of a fruit) provides 25% respectively 79% of the Dietary Reference Intake of vitamins A and E. It contains vitamin B in more than 30% of its compounds. It also contains a large amount of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Antioxidants are known for their inhibitor effect on cancer cells, while the Muslims consider it a great sexual stimulant.

India is by far the largest mango producer with more than 16.000 square kilometers of land dedicated to mango cultivars. However, these fruits were one step further of being prohibited as the scandal with the pigment coloring the “Indian Yellow” cultivar took proportions. There was a rumor and according to it, the pigment euxanthin is obtained from urine of the cows fed on the mango leaves. There has also been reported that this procedure causes malnutrition to the cows and has been banned. Even so, not even today the viability of such a pigment is unknown.