What is Mangosteen?

Organic Food

What is Mangosteen?

Mangosteen Facts

Mangosteen, also known as the “queen of tropical fruit”, belongs to the garcinia family. Despite its name, mangosteen and mango are not closely related. Mangosteen originates from Sunda Islands and Moluccas (southeast Asia). Mangosteen produces fruit of best quality in areas with temperature between 25 and 35 degrees of Celsius, on the fertile, well-drained soil. Young trees need to grow in the partial shade, while mature trees require plenty of sun for the proper development of fruit. Majority of globally consumed mangosteen originates from southeast Asia, tropical parts of South America, Puerto Rico and India. Mangosteen is mostly cultivated as a source of food and in ornamental purposes.
Interesting Mangosteen Facts:
Mangosteen is an evergreen tree with dense, roundish crown. It can reach 20 to 82 feet in height.
Mangosteen develops thick, elliptical, dark green leaves that are oppositely arranged on the branches.
Mangosteen produces pinkish white flowers that grow solitary or arranged in pairs. Male and female flowers develop on the separate trees (dioecious plant). Mangosteen is apomictic plant, which means that female trees produce fruit without pollination.
Mangosteen produces dark-purple or red-purple fruit with soft, thick rind on the surface. Flesh consists of 4 to 8 juicy, triangular segments that are white-colored. Each segment contains 1 to 4 seed. Rind and seed are not edible.
Mangosteen tree starts to bear fruit 7 to 10 years after planting. It produces fruit two times per year. Depending on the age of tree, mangosteen can produce from 200 to 3.000 fruit per season (older trees produce more fruit). Mangosteen is available in the supermarkets around the world from June to October.
Mangosteen is rich source of dietary fibers, vitamins C, B1, B3 and B9 and minerals such as copper, manganese and magnesium.
Mangosteen is very fragrant and it has slightly acidic taste that resembles a mix between the orange and peach. It can be consumed alone or in combination with coconut, peach, papaya, grapes, watermelon and passion fruit.
Mangosteen is also used for the preparation of ice-creams, sorbets, musses, yogurts, smoothies, cocktails and salad dressings.
Durian (tropical fruit covered with thorny husk) and mangosteen are usually placed next to each other in the markets, because durian produces strong heating effect which mangosteen easily neutralizes.
Rind of mangosteen is used for leather tanning in China.
Rind contains yellow latex which leaves black stains on the clothes and hands.
Mangosteen is often labeled as “superfruit” due to high content of antioxidants (substances which prevent cell damage) and because of its high nutritional value.
Dried rind of mangosteen can be used in treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, pain, infected wounds, fever and skin disorders such as eczema.
Mangosteen is national fruit of Thailand.
Mangosteen is perennial plant that can survive more than 100 years in the wild.

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