Facts about Mango
Dried unripe mango used as a spice in south and southeast Asia is known as amchur (sometimes spelled amchoor).
Both ripe and unripe mangos are good sources of vitamin C. Both vitamins A and C are anti-oxidants that eliminate free radicals in the body and thus reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Mangos are variable in size, from six to 25 cm long, seven to 12 cm wide, and with a weight of up to 2.5 kg (four to five lbs).
The common artistic motif, the paisley design, found on Indian textiles, is a representation of the mango.
The leading present-day mango cultivars for commercial production and shipping are "Tommy Atkins," "Keitt," "Kent," "Van Dyke," and "Jubilee."
Mangos have various phenols that are considered to have antioxidant and anticancer properties, and help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Many mango cultivars were derived from chance seedlings, but some of the most commercially-popular cultivars were founded at a breeding program in Florida.
The mango has proven itself to be a versatile food commodity all around the world.
Mango also refers to the mango fruit of these trees, but in particular to the fruit of the species Mangifera indica, which provides the most commercially important fruit crop.
French is a Romance language originally spoken in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and today by about 300 million people around the world as either a native or a second language.
Green mangos are similar to the green apples of more temperate zones; they are tart, crisp, and somewhat dry.
The Sweet Bell Pepper (capsicum) is also sometimes known as mango in parts of the midwestern United States.
Street vendors sometimes sell whole mangos on a stick, dipped in the chili-salt mixture.
Twenty-five percent of mangos are processed into juices, chutneys, sauces, or served dried.
Other internal values include the pleasure from the diverse tastes, textures, and colors of mango fruits, and both the tree and fruit have been the focus of works of art.
To allow a mango to continue to ripen after purchase, it should be stored in a cool, dark place, but not in a refrigerator as this will slow the ripening process.
Mangos are widely used in chutney (type of condiment), which in the West is often very sweet, but in the Indian subcontinent is usually sharpened with hot chilis or limes.
Indians mangos have a monoembryonic seed that facilitates breeding efforts, and are commonly susceptible to anthracnose.
The mango fruit itself has been called the "king of fruits," and a reference to mangos as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas.
The mangos of the Indochinese group are described as flattened, kidney-shaped, and oblong with light green or yellow skin, and little or no red color.
The Buddha found mango groves to be an attractive place for meditation, Hindus use mango twigs on holy days, and the mango tree continues to serve as a symbol of love and life.
Archways of houses may also be decorated with mangos when a wedding occurs or new house constructed.
Mangos have a high sugar content, but are low in fat, and are excellent sources of beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin.
The mango (plural mangos or mangoes) is a genus, Mangifera, of about 35 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae (cashew or poison ivy family).
The prime climate for mango cultivation is seasonally wet and then seasonally dry (or vice versa) climate zones of the lowland tropics, or frost-free subtropical areas.
Mango trees are considered to be self-fertile and do not require pollinizers, although research does indicate that some cultivars are self-unfruitful or at least benefit from cross-pollination.
Buddha was said to be fond of meditation in mango groves, and on holy days, mango twigs are used by Hindus to brush their teeth.
The many varieties of mango, created by people and cultivated over the centuries, demonstrates the creativity of humans, as does the multitude of different preparation methods for the consumption of the fruit.
Many people like to eat unripe mangos with salt (which are extremely sour; much more than lemon), and in regions where food is hotter, with salt and chili.
Today, the mango is widely cultivated as a fruit tree in frost-free tropical and subtropical climates throughout India, North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, south and central Africa, and Australia.
Mangos should always be washed to remove any sap or residue on the skin before handling.
Am is a Hindi word for Mango and amchoor is powder or extract of Mango.
At wedding ceremonies, the couple may be presented with mango leaves, to ensure many children, and to announce the birth of a child, neighbors decorate doorways with mango leaves.
Dried strips of sweet, ripe mangos have also gained popularity both inside and outside the country, with those produced in Cebu making it to export markets around the world.
Beyond the problems faced by those who remain "warehoused" in refugee camps, others who have settled in another country still experience many challenges.
The ancient Hindu texts, the Vedas and the Puranas, written as far back as 2000 B.C.E., are replete with references to the mango.
Up to 15 other Mangifera species besides M. indica produce edible fruit, including the water mango M. laurina, and the wild, forest mango, M. sylvatica, from which M. indica is thought to have descended.
Some mangos have a turpentine odor and flavor, while others have a rich and pleasant fragrance.
Indochinese cultivars usually have a polyembryonic seed, and most are resistant to anthracnose, the major fungal disease affecting the mango.
The mango tree originated in the Indo-Burma region, where it is still found growing wild in forests, especially in the hilly areas of the northeast.
The mango tree is known for its longevity, with some specimens being noted to still bear fruit at 300 years of age.
A more traditional Indian drink is mango lassi, which is similar, but uses a mixture of yogart and milk as the base, and is sometimes flavored with salt or cardamom.
The mango is a very popular fruit, so much so that it has been hailed as the "king of fruits"; in the Hindu Vedas, the mango is referenced as the "food of the gods."
Vendors sell slices of peeled green mango on the streets of these countries, often served with salt.
Eating mangos throughout the season may build a store of vitamin A in the liver.
Green mangos may be used in the sour salad called rujak in Indonesia, and rojak in Malaysia and Singapore.
The mango also is a nutritional fruit, containing valuable vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants.
Some seedling mangos are so fibrous that they cannot be sliced.
The mango fruit is a drupe, that is, one in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside.
Mangos also contain an enzyme that provide aid in digestion, through breaking down proteins, and enzymes that stimulate metabolism and help with intestinal cleansing.