Mango the superfood

I had the most juicy, sweet, delicious mango today. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
A colleague at the job was kind enough to share her mangoes with me after I complimented her on her choice of fruit. Fruits are big these days around the Plaza. The variety and the amount of fruits is great. As the weather gets warmer and we spend more time outdoors, vendors come around with all types of fruits. We buy fruits for breakfast, lunch or anytime and in any amount at very reasonable prices. Warm weather is a time when we look for “super foods” that are available and very tasty, filling, have little calories and will last us through the long active days we will experience from now until about November. So back to this mango!

I got a very yellow, really ripe but firm mango. I was told that this mango was the type that I had to eat at home. At home where I can “spread out” and eat in comfort because the juices will be gushing out and I will need to wash hands and face. I took her advice and decided to wait until after work so I wouldn’t walk around the office looking a mess. I kept the mango on my desk, in sight and drooled over it until it was time to leave for home. My delicious mango could have been from this group. It was just like these!

I was so anxious to eat this thing that I took it to the ladies room as I was getting ready to leave work to wash it so it was ready to eat. After I washed it I thought I would take a bite on the way home so I prepared for that. I washed the mango and wrapped it in paper towels. I took some extra paper towels, some dry and a few sheets moist to clean up, just in case I got messy with this superfood.

I got in the car and put the bag on the seat next to me. As I started the car and prepared to move it, I decided to take a bite of the mango. Boy, oh boy! It was everything she said and more than I thought it would be. Talk about delicious! It was sweet, juicy and full of that wonderful mango flavor. It was awesome! What a treat! Next thing I knew I was down to the pit of the mango and totally exhilarated. Wow what a mango! Then I wished that I had waited until I got home like my colleague told me. I really need to relax now; you know, spread out!

Mango you say? Oh yeah, mango! So here is the scoop. Mangoes are fruits that grow on trees (as opposed to vines or in the ground) in the tropics. They are a various types and tastes. They originated in the Indian subcontinent but is widely exported around the world. Mangoes are very nutritious and good for you. Mangoes are considered super foods because of their health value. Mangoes are high in probiotic dietary fibers, vitamin C, antioxidants and omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are generally sweet, but varying degree of sweetness, and have a unique taste and texture, depending on the type of mango according to wikipedia.

Some are more sweet than others, some are firm, some soft, some thick and pulpy, some stringy, some small, some big. They start out green then ripen to a golden almost pumpkin yellow or various shades of yellow and green and combination of both colors. You may see mangoes ready to eat that are partially green and part yellow or red, or orange or dark burgundy and green. (see above pic from Recipeazaar) This fruit is very delicious and is used as flavoring, coloring and fragrance. The skin is used for its antioxidant value and even the tree leaves are used for decorations.

Mangoes can be very filling and may be used in many dishes or eaten just as they are, fresh off the tree, green or ripe. Many people eat them green (not ripe) and varying degrees of ripeness. In the Plaza by the job, and along the main thoroughfare, vendors sell peeled and sliced mangoes and offer them coated with hot sauce and or salt, especially the un-ripened ones, or plain wedges in a container or on a stick.

Some of my favorite mango recipe are mango smoothie, mango jam, mango ice cream, mango chutney, fruit salad and garnish for many dishes. Most of all I like them straight up whole right off of the tree, room temperasture or cold. I'll take it!.

For more complete information check out Freshmangoes.com and go out and get some. They’re great!
Check out recipeazaar for some great fun and cool mango recipes. They have some of my favorites and they are good for you. Come back to share your thoughts and recipe or story with us about mango, the superfood. I know you will like them too!

Check out the USDA rating

Mango, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 70 kcal 270 kJ
Carbohydrates 17.00 g
- Sugars 14.8 g
- Dietary fiber 1.8 g
Fat 0.27 g
Protein .51 g
Vitamin A equiv. 38 μg 4%
- β-carotene 445 μg 4%
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.058 mg 4%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.057 mg 4%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.584 mg 4%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.160 mg 3%
Vitamin B6 0.134 mg 10%
Folate (Vit. B9) 14 μg 4%
Vitamin C 27.7 mg 46%
Calcium 10 mg 1%
Iron 0.13 mg 1%
Magnesium 9 mg 2%
Phosphorus 11 mg 2%
Potassium 156 mg 3%
Zinc 0.04 mg 0%

Percentages are relative to US
recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database