Mangoes 101 – The Basics (REVISED)
About Mangoes
Mangoes are a popular fruit around the world. Botanically, the mango is a drupe, with an outer skin, an edible pulp, and a central stone that houses a single seed. Peaches and plums are also drupes. Mangoes are fruits of an evergreen tree in the cashew family. There are over 1,000 different varieties of mangoes, with some being round while others are oval.
Mangoes were first grown in India over 5,000 years ago. From there, mangoes were slowly introduced around the world. Spanish explorers brought mangoes to South America and Mexico in the 1600s. Mangoes were first introduced to America in 1833 when they were taken to Florida. In India, a basket of mangoes is considered to be a sign of friendship, with the mango itself being a symbol of love.
Nutrition and Health Benefits
Mangoes are very nutritious fruits to eat. They are exceptionally high in Vitamin C, with one cup of fresh mango providing 67% of the Daily Value of this important nutrient. Mangoes also supply appreciable amounts of copper, folate, Vitamins B6, A, E, and K, niacin, potassium, and riboflavin. They also contain lesser amounts of magnesium and thiamine. Mangoes have no cholesterol, sodium nor fat. One cup of fresh mango has about 100 calories.
Antioxidant Protection. Mangoes are high in polyphenols, which are antioxidants that help to protect the body against harmful free radical molecules. Free radicals are very reactive compounds that can damage cells, leading to signs of aging, inflammation, and chronic diseases, including cancer and diabetes.
Immune Boosting Properties. Mango supplies an array of immune-boosting nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, copper, folate, Vitamin E, and some B-vitamins. Of these, the amount of Vitamin C in mangoes stands out since one cup of fresh mango provides about 67% of the Daily Value of this important antioxidant. This can help your body make more disease-fighting white blood cells, while also helping those cells to work more effectively. It can also help to improve the skin’s defenses.
Supports Heart Health. Mangoes contain a variety of nutrients that help to support heart health. They contain magnesium and potassium which help to maintain a healthy blood flow. Those nutrients help blood vessels relax, which promotes lower blood pressure levels. An antioxidant in mango, mangiferin, appears to be especially good for heart health. Animal studies found that this antioxidant may protect heart cells against inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death. Also, it may help to lower levels of blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and free fatty acids. More studies are needed to confirm this in humans, but the findings look promising.
Supports Digestive Health. Mango contains a class of digestive enzymes called amylases, which break down starch into smaller molecules. The enzymes are more active in ripe mangoes, which explains why they are sweeter than unripe ones. Since humans also produce amylase, eating mangoes can help to augment our breakdown of complex carbohydrates in the digestive tract.
Mangoes also contain water and dietary fiber, which can help with digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea. In a study reported in the June 2018 issue of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, researchers had subjects eat mangoes daily for four weeks. They found that mango was more effective at relieving symptoms of chronic constipation than taking a supplement containing an amount of soluble fiber similar to that of mango. This suggests that mangoes may have other components along with dietary fiber that help digestive health.
Supports Eye Health. Mangoes supply nutrients that help to support eye health. Two key antioxidants in mangoes are lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are concentrated in the retina of the eye. The retina converts light into signals so the brain can interpret what you’re seeing. Lutein and zeaxanthin are particularly concentrated in the macula, the center of the retina. The antioxidants act as natural sunblocks, absorbing excess light. They also appear to protect the eyes from harmful blue light.
Mangoes are also a good source of beta-carotene that the body converts into Vitamin A. This nutrient is well-known for supporting eye health. A lack of Vitamin A has been linked to dry eyes and nighttime blindness. Severe deficiencies can lead to more serious conditions such as corneal scarring and even blindness.
Helps Reduce Cancer Risk. Mango is high in polyphenols, which may have anticancer properties. These antioxidant compounds help to protect against oxidative stress, which is linked to many types of cancer. Test tube and animal studies have found that mango polyphenols reduced oxidative stress, and destroyed or stopped the growth of various types of cancer cells, including leukemia, and cancer of the colon, lung, prostate, and breast.
As stated earlier under “Supports Hearth Health,” mangiferin, an important polyphenol antioxidant in mango has promising anticancer effects. Animal studies found it reduced inflammation, protected cells against oxidative stress, and either stopped the growth of cancer cells or killed them. More studies are needed to confirm these effects in humans.
How to Choose a Mango
Color is not always the best indicator of ripeness with mangoes since they can be different colors when ripe. A red color will appear on some varieties of ripe mangoes, but not all. A better test would be to gently squeeze a mango. A ripe mango will give a little when squeezed, like a peach or avocado. A medium-ripe mango will be somewhat firm, while an unripe mango will be very firm to the touch. Also, a fruity aroma can be detected at the stem end of many (but not all) varieties of mangoes. With all things considered, the squeeze test is the best way to determine if a mango is ripe.
Avoid mangoes with bruises or shriveled skin. Those are past their prime and are not the best selections.
Unripe mangoes are very edible, but are not sweet. They have somewhat of a peppery flavor and can be used in savory applications. Ripe mangoes are deliciously sweet and are used in most recipes calling for mango as a sweet fruit.
How to Ripen and Store a Mango
Store unripe mangoes at room temperature. Green mangoes will ripen at room temperature over several days. To hasten ripening, place green mangoes in a paper bag kept at room temperature.
To slow down the ripening process, store ripe mangoes in the refrigerator for up to five days. Storing mangoes too long in the refrigerator will cause them to turn black.
Peeled and cubed mango may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to twelve months.
How to Cut a Mango
First wash your mango. The peel will need to be removed as it can cause irritation in the mouth, and the stone inside needs to be removed. It is large and somewhat flattened. Observe how the mango lays on your counter. It will position itself so the stone is parallel with the counter. Stand the mango up on one end and slice it parallel to the stone on each side of the stone. Then, to help get any remaining flesh off the stone, make narrow slices down the sides of the mango along the wide side of the stone. If your knife hits the stone in the process, simply move the knife outward just a bit and try again.
After removing the stone, with a knife, cut away the peel from the side pieces. Then slice or cube the mango as needed. Sometimes, the skin of very ripe mango slices can simply be peeled back with fingers and removed that way. The flesh of ripe mango can be very slippery to handle, so use caution when slicing it so you don’t cut yourself.
Another way to remove the flesh after cutting the sides off the stone, and before removing the peel, is to gently slice the flesh into cubes with the tip of a knife. Carefully bend the ends of the mango half outward, separating the cubes of flesh. Take a spoon and gently scrape the mango cubes off the skin. Discard the skin and enjoy your mango cubes!
One large mango may yield up to two cups of mango cubes, with the average mango yielding ¾ to 1 cup of mango puree.
Important note! Mango juice can stain clothes, so take precaution when preparing it.
Quick Ideas and Tips for Using Mangoes
Mangoes are usually eaten fresh, but there are some recipes available where creative individuals have incorporated them into baked goods, pies, mousses, curries, cobblers, and crisps. See the recipe links below for details.
* Try grilled mango. Cut each side off a mango to remove the stone. Lightly score the flesh of each cut side into cubes, being careful not to pierce the skin. Carefully pull the edges of the skin backward while pushing the center upward with your fingers to make the cubes stand outward. Brush them lightly with oil, if desired. Place them flesh side down on a medium-hot grill for 1 minute, until lightly charred. Remove them from the grill, season as desired, and enjoy!
* Try roasted mango. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut the two sides from a mango, removing the stone. Lay the slices on a baking sheet, cut side up. Top with a small amount of sweetener of choice, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is bubbling. Remove from the oven and remove the skin. Enjoy as-is or serve with a topping of choice.
* Serve mango cubes with your favorite yogurt.
* Make popsicles with pureed mango.
* Top pancakes or waffles with cut mango, then drizzle with maple syrup. Yum!
* Include mango in smoothies.
* Dice mango and add it to salsa.
* Add diced mango to a quinoa or other grain salad.
* Add mango to oatmeal.
* Drizzle pureed mango over cooked chicken, fish, or pork.
* Include cubed mango in a fruit or green salad.
* Add fresh ripe mango to a spinach salad.
* Top baked or grilled salmon with mango salsa.
* If a recipe calls for mango and you don’t have any or don’t have enough, peaches, nectarines, or papaya may be used as substitutes.
* Diced frozen mango may be substituted in equal portions for diced fresh mango.
* If you are fortunate enough to have an overabundance of fresh mangoes and are not sure what to do with them, freeze them. Remove the flesh from the stone, dice the flesh and remove the cubes from the peel. To help keep the mango cubes from sticking together in the freezer, place the freshly cut cubes on a tray and place it in the freezer. When the cubes are frozen, transfer them to an airtight freezer bag or container. Store them in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Herbs and Spices That Go Well with Mangoes
Basil, cardamom, cayenne, chili pepper powder or flakes, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, lavender, mint, oregano, paprika (esp. smoked), parsley, salt, star anise, vanilla
Foods That Go Well with Mango
Proteins, Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, beans (esp. black and cannellini beans), cashews, chicken, chickpeas, duck, fish, legumes (in general), nuts, peanuts, pork, sesame seeds, snow peas, tempeh, tofu
Vegetables: Arugula, bell peppers, chayote squash, chile peppers, cucumbers, endive, fennel, garlic, jalapenos, jicama, lettuce, onions (esp. red, green, sweet), rhubarb, scallions, seaweed, shallots, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatillos, tomatoes
Fruit: Avocados, bananas, berries (esp. blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), coconut, kiwi, lemon, lime, melon, nectarines, oranges, papayas, passion fruit, peaches, pears, pineapple, plantains, tamarind, tropical fruits
Grains: Corn, noodles (esp. Asian), quinoa, rice, tortillas
Dairy and Non-Dairy Products: Almond milk, coconut milk, cream, crème fraiche, ice cream, yogurt
Other: Chocolate (esp. white), honey, liqueurs (i.e., Kirsch), oil, rum, sugar, tapioca, vinegar (i.e., champagne, red wine, rice wine), wine (i.e., sparkling, sweet, white)
Mangoes have been used in the following cuisines and dishes…
Beverages (i.e., juices, lassis, punch), Caribbean cuisines, chutneys, coulis, crepes, curries, desserts (i.e., cheesecake), Filipino cuisine, Indian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, pickles (green mangoes), puddings, relishes (green mangoes), salads (i.e., Asian noodle, fruit, green, pasta, rice), sauces, smoothies, sorbets, soups (i.e., fruit), stir-fries, tarts, Thai cuisine
Suggested Food and Flavor Combos Using Mango…
Add mango to any of the following combinations…
Avocado + chiles + cilantro + lime + onions + vinegar
Bananas + honey + lime juice + orange juice
Beans + cilantro + lime + onions
Bell peppers + cilantro + lime
Blackberries + lime
Cardamom + honey + yogurt
Cashews + Mint
Chiles + cilantro + lime + red onions
Chiles + cumin + garlic + lime + orange
Coconut + tapioca + white chocolate
Coconut + yogurt
Coconut milk + sticky rice
Honey + mint + yogurt
Honey + orange juice + yogurt
Lime + mint + orange + papaya
Lime + raspberries + vanilla
Peach + raspberries
Recipe Links
Jicama Mango Carrot Salad https://youtu.be/2LTb5QeLjfY
Easy Mango Banana Smoothie https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231851/easy-mango-banana-smoothie/?internalSource=streams&referringId=16131&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub&clickId=st_trending_b
Quick Mango Salsa https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/217283/quick-mango-salsa/?internalSource=streams&referringId=17193&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub&clickId=st_trending_s
Too Many Mangos? Ideas to Help You Use Them https://delishably.com/fruits/mango-ideas
5 Easy Mango Recipe Ideas https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/mango-recipe
Chicken Mango Curry https://producemadesimple.ca/chicken-mango-curry/
Mango Smoothie https://producemadesimple.ca/mango-smoothie/
Mango Salsa https://producemadesimple.ca/mango-salsa/
All-Purpose Mango Salsa https://www.mango.org/recipes/all-purpose-mango-salsa/
Mango Protein Smoothie https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-protein-smoothie/
Mango Quinoa Salad https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-quinoa-salad/
Mango Quinoa Tabbouleh https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-quinoa-tabbouleh/
Tropical Mango Sorbet https://www.mango.org/recipes/tropical-mango-sorbet/
Baja Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa https://www.mango.org/recipes/baja-fish-tacos-with-mango-salsa/
Check out the MANY recipes listed under the “Recipes” tab on this comprehensive site https://www.mango.org
Mango Pico De Gallo https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-pico-de-gallo/
Roasted Mango https://www.turnips2tangerines.com/2015/08/roasted-mango.html
Mango Cobb Salad https://www.mango.org/recipes/mango-cobb-salad/
Grilled Mango with Lime, Salt, and Ancho Powder https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-mango-with-lime-salt-and-ancho-powder-recipe-2120487
Baked Mango with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon https://daybydaymasterpiece.com/2012/08/22/baked-mango-with-brown-sugar-cinnamon/
Resources
https://www.mango.org/about-mangos/
https://producemadesimple.ca/what-goes-well-with-mango/
https://producemadesimple.ca/mango/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mango
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29733520/
Joachim, David. (2010) The Food Substitutions Bible. 2nd Edition. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Robert Rose, Inc.
Page, Karen. (2014) The Vegetarian Flavor Bible. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.
About Judi
Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.
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