Mango or its scientific name Mangifera indica, is one fruit, which has made its way across the globe and is universally known. The ubiquitous mango originates from South Asia, India, and Burma (modern-day Myanmar), and spread from there. Early European explorers to India anglicized the local name mangay, and it evolved to become mango.
WORDS PANK JIT SIN
So, how did you like my rhyme in the title? Was it as funny for me as it was for you? Guess not.
Well, this month we’ll be looking at a common, but well-loved fruit—the mango.
The delicious and fragrant fruit has been incorporated into our daily diet and can be found in lassi (a blend of yogurt, water, and spices), glutinous rice dessert, ice cream, cake, jelly, pickle, salad, curry, and various other food items.
MANGO: THE KING OF FRUITS IN INDIA
As it originates from India, the country considers mango to be its national fruit. There, it is known as their King of Fruits.
Buddhist monks are thought to have brought the fruit along when they spread Buddhism to China and the Southeast Asian region at around 400 B.C.
As they’ve had a head start in mango cultivation, it comes as no surprise that India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes, accounting for 50% of all the mangoes produced in the world.
YUMMY GOODNESS IN A SWEET PACKAGE
Mangoes Are Nutritious
- A serving (about 165 g) contains 10% of your daily recommended fibre intake.
- The same serving will give you 100% of your daily recommended Vitamin C and 35% of the daily vitamin A intake.
- It will further contribute to 20% of your daily folate and 10% of the recommended daily vitamin B6 intake.
- For afruit, it has a decent amount of trace copper, contributing 10% of the daily recommended intake.
Zeaxanthin
- The yellow color of mango stems from zeaxanthin, which is the pigment also found in corn.
- This pigment is a natural antioxidant and collects in the retina of the eye.
- It helps in filtering out blue light emitted from our electronic devices and the sun, thus helping to delay or reduce age-related eyesight degeneration.
Beta-Carotene
- Mangoes have anywhere from 33% to 103% of the recommended daily intake of beta-carotene.
- Beta-carotene is also known as pro-vitamin A and is converted in the body to vitamin A.
- Mango has one of the highest beta-carotene content in fruit but the amount is also dependent on the variety of mango.
Ellagic Acid, Gallotannin, and Mangiferin
- These are phenolic compounds.
- Plant phenolic compounds are molecules produced by plants for various functions but in the human body, they can have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties.
- Depending on the variety, mangoes can have moderate phenolic content compared to blackberries. The mango with the highest phenolic content is Ataulfo, which hails from Mexico. Each kilogram of Ataulfo mango has about 1100 mg of phenolic content compared to blackberries, where each kg contains between 5,000 and 8,000 mg of phenolic content.
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COMMON VARIETIES OF MANGOES
Harumanis
- In Malaysia, the most famous variety is known as the Harumanis, which grows well in the state of Perlis.
- True to its namesake, the Harumanis is both fragrant and sweet.
- The fruit is deep yellow when cut but is already ripe even before the skin turns yellow. The aroma is strong when eaten.
- Traditionally, Harumanis is only available between April and May as it coincides with flowering months of December to February. This period of dryness triggers flowering of the mango trees. It is thought that the stress induces the plant to produce flowers, and thus fruits as they are afraid of dying.
The price of Harumanis is quite high as far as mangoes go.
- The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) has a recommended selling price and this year it is RM15 per kg as base price for the premium grade.
- However, the price is only a recommendation and independent farmers may sell at a higher or lower price depending on market demand. The demand for this fruit has been going up over the years, resulting in more farmers planting this lucrative fruit.
- However, a Perlis farmer suggested the fruits planted in other regions of the country lack the fragrance of those grown in Perlis. She surmises it could be the climate in Perlis which makes it perfect for the Harumanis to achieve its full potential. Thus, Harumanis from Perlis usually goes for the highest prices among all Harumanis.
Alphonso
- The golden, rather large Alphonso varieties are grown predominantly in India and Pakistan.
- This variety is known as the ‘King of Mangoes’ but it may just be a marketing gimmick rather than fact.
- Alphonso is characterized by its light orange skin and fibreless pulp and smooth, creamy taste.
Some other varieties we often encounter are the Golden Lily, Red Irwin, Apple, Maha, Golek, and more. With more than 200 varieties registered in the country and many more overseas, there are plenty to choose from.
| This article is part of our series on nutritious foods and beverages that would be a great addition to any healthy diet. |
