Summers are here and at peak – a perfect season for enjoying
mangoes. I am sure you all must be fond of mangoes, the king of fruits and our
national fruit. In our sacred Upanishads, mangoes have been regarded as the
“Food of Gods”. Mangoes are grown almost all over India and remain the prime
delicacy of this hot season.
Mangoes are being cultivated in India since times immemorial.
This tropical fruit finds its mention in certain poetries of Kalidas. Amir
Khusro, the great urdu poet commented “Aam meethe hone chahiye aur khoob saare
hone chahiye”. So mangoes are being loved since ages. Also, the fruit is available
in more than 100 varieties, with each variety having its unique and
characteristic flavour.
Mangoes are not only great in taste but also they are great
nutritionally. In fact this king of fruits is a package of several nutrients.
Mangoes offer a host of nutritional benefits and thus the
old age saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” can well be used for
mangoes also. The fruit is so full of goodness that it serves as a perfect
breakfast, snack and dessert for this hot season.
100 gm of mangoes provides approximately 60-70 kcals, is
high in sugar, low in fats and proteins.
Mangoes are a very rich source of pre-biotic fiber.
Pre-biotics are non functional food ingredients which promote the growth of
bacteria beneficial for the intestines. In this way, the king offers protection
against colon cancer and intestinal diseases.
The fruit is very rich in poly-phenolic flavanoid compounds
which provide protection against various types of cancer.
Talking of vitamins, mangoes are a very rich source of
beta-carotene which is a precursor of Vitamin A. 100 gm of the fresh fruit
provides approximately 25% of the
recommended daily levels of Vitamin A. The vitamin is required by the human
body for the maintenance for healthy skin and eyes and most importantly for
normal vision.
Another important vitamin that this fruit provides in ample
is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant which helps the body to fight
against infection as well as delay aging by removing the free toxic radicals
from the body. These anti-oxidant properties are further enhanced by the
presence of Vitamin E, which itself is an anti-oxidant.
With regards to minerals, mangoes present the ideal
combination. Its a low sodium and a high potassium fruit. So this is the good
news for people with high blood pressure; however, patients with kidney
diseases need to avoid mangoes.
The peel of mangoes is rich in insoluble fibre whereby
making it helpful for our gastro-intestinal tract.
However, the goodness of mangoes is not meant for diabetics.
However, the fruit is an incredible source of vitamins and minerals, its high
glycemic index (attributed to the high sugar content of the fruit) makes it
unsuitable for people with diabetes. The response of blood sugar to the sugar of
the fruit is very high so its advisable for diabetics to consume the fruit in
moderate quantity.
Almost every part of the fruit is used for edible purposes.
In some northern parts of the country, even the peel is consumed. Raw mangoes
are used for making beverage commonly known as “Panna” and for making pickles.
Ripe mangoes may be eaten raw and fresh and are also used for making desserts
and puddings, the most famous being “Aamras”.
So for knowing about the goodness of mangoes, get a dozen of
them and enjoy them......if nothing else, they are superb in taste
at least!!!!!!
