 Mango (English)
Aam
(Hindi)
Maam Pazham (Tamil)
Mango is one of the most
significant trees on the planet. It is also one of the oldest cultivated trees.
Mangoes are native to
southeastern Asia or India where they have been grown for more than 4,000 years.
The mango tree is not just
the source of delicious fruit-to the Indians it is a symbol of love, a granter
of wishes. Mango leaves are featured at all kinds of functions such as marriage
and housewarming.
Mango trees are evergreens
that will grow to 60 feet tall. The mango tree will fruit 4 to 6 years after
planting.
The leaves are green,
leathery and large, to 12 inches across. New leaves can be somewhat red or
yellow in color. Mango flowers appear in spring to summer, depending on variety,
are sweetly fragrant and attractive.
Mangos normally
reach maturity in 4 to 5 months from flowering.
The Mango flesh ranges from
pale-yellow to deep-orange. It is essentially peach-like but much more fibrous;
is extremely juicy, with a flavor range from very sweet to tart.
The Mango is the world's
most consumed fruit and is the number one selling fruit in the world.
India is the major mango
producer of the world. India grows more mangoes than all its other fruits
combined.
There more than 1,000
different varieties of mangos throughout the world.
You can ripen them by
putting the mangoes in a paper bag. Alternatively, you can leave the mango in a
warm area away from the sun.
The tree is long-lived, some
specimens being known to be 300 years old and still fruiting.
Well-being:
Eating mango is a healthy
way to achieve your goal of five fruits and vegetables a day. Doctors recommend
a minimum of 5 servings a day of fruit and vegetables to maintain good health.
Just half a mango counts as one serving.
Vitamins & Minerals:
Mangoes are a rich source of
Vitamin A, and have good amounts of Vitamins B and C. It also has calcium, iron,
potassium and a little protein in mangoes.
Weight Reduction:
With an average calorie
count of only 95 for a medium sized mango, it's no wonder smart slimmers choose
mangoes. A ripe mango contains water, but little carbohydrates and no fat.
Fiber Source:
Mangoes are also high in
fiber, and contain a small amount of carbohydrates, which the body converts to
energy.
Antioxidants:
Dieticians
recommend that we should eat large amounts of antioxidant vitamins - and mangoes
are a succulent source of these.
Heart Disease:
Mangoes have
more carotenoids than most other fruits - and that helps to ward off colds and
reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Use of Mango Flowers:
Dried mango flowers,
containing 15% tannin, serve as astringents in cases of diarrhea, chronic
dysentery and catarrh of the bladder.
Eating a mango
fresh and dripping with juice is an exquisite experience in stickiness. For fullest flavor, let chilled mangos reach room temperature before
eating.
Green mangos (unripe) are
used to make chutney and pickles.
Tender mango
pickle is delicious with curd
rice.
Green mangos (Half-ripe) are
sweet & sour in taste and tasty with salt.
Green or ripe mangos may be
used to make relish.
Mango lassi is delightful
summer time special drink: Add 5
tsps of mango pulp and 1 tsp of sugar with Yogurt, beat it and serve chilled.
Bottled mango
drinks are available all across the world.
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