Mangosteen has been observed to be gaining popularity around the world. We often see commercials that feature this fruit while watching television shows, when we listen to music from various radio networks, and reading print media such as magazines and newspapers. Internet advertisements are also featuring this fruit that can be seen from various social media websites. This is due to the increasing demand for the product that is now urging fruit vendors to improve their supply to the public.
Mangosteen is slowly gaining popularity in the market for the reason that the fruit is regarded as one of the miraculous in the world. It is capable of healing several diseases that could help balance a person's health continuum. Patients suffering from life-threatening diseases are also being recommended to eat mangosteen because it will be a very good health maintenance fruit that could further improve their health for a short period of time. Today, there are numerous derivatives of this fruit that will help serve the needs of the public.
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| Fully riped mangosteen along with persimmon and lanzones |
Description
The purple mangosteen is a fruit that is produced by a tropical evergreen tree. This plant is mostly endemic in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin American region. It is also found in Hawaii, India, and some areas in the Caribbean. The tree can grow between the heigts of 6 and 25 meters on average. Due to its commercial value, mangosteen is considered to be one of the most expensive fruits in the market. It is because there are still few agribusinesses who produces this plant in the market.
The tree bears a fruit that is edible for the humans and animals to consume. The fruit is usually round in shape and with a rich purple in color when it is fully riped. The taste of the fruit is sweet as well as tangy. The fruit is fibrous, which is similar with citrus fruits. The scientific name of the fruit is identified as Garcinia mangostana. The seeds of the fruit is shaped similarly like an almond.The edible part of the fruit is the ovary, which can be found on the inner part of the fruit when you slice it in half, known as the endocarp and not the exterior part of the fruit that is colored as purple, which is known as exocarp.
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| Sliced mangosteen, showing its edible white endocarp |
Since mangosteen is now gaining commercialization, there are mangosteens that are now available in capsules or compressed tablet forms. It is commercially prepared in blister packs or in bottle forms, which can be availed at the nearest pharmacies or herbal food stores. Online stores are also selling mangosteen capsules or tablets in a bottle.
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| Mangosteen capsules in a bottle |
Health Benefits of eating mangosteen
1. Rich in anti-oxidant: It has been learned that the xanthones in this fruit is a potent anti-oxidant that is efficient in fighting free radicals. Xanthones are initially released by the fruit in order to prevent pest infestation on its fruit. Xanthones contain both alpha and gamma mangosteen derivatives that can efficiently prevent toxins from forming all over our body. It purifies the body by destroying toxins responsible for causing aging, which is can degrade our mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
2. Improves our immune system: Mangosteen is rich in Vitamin C and zinc, which boosts our immune system to fight against harmful pathogenic microorganisms. Eating mangosteen on a regular basis can further improve our body's defense against health risks that can cause respiratory infections, gastrointestinal diseases, and urinary tract related illnesses. This fruit is recommended for individuals who are currently suffering from diseases so that they can beef up their immune response to recover from their diseases at a shorter period of time.
3. Has astringency content: Mangosteen contains tannins, which is a type of salivary protein that can promote anti-infective properties to the blood stream. It is potent enough to diminish any signs of pathogens that are present in the blood stream, minimizing the risk of infection or progression of a disease to the person's body. Polyphenols are substances that can minimize any presence of bacterial or viral invasion that exists inside the body.
4. Disintegrates fat in our body: This fruit contains low level of fat contents when being ingested by an individual. Together with the antioxidants and soluble polyphenols, it interacts with fat cells by breaking them down. As a result, a person may lose weight if they take at least 1 or two mangosteen fruits in a day. This fruit contains low calories, making it safe for individuals who are already suffering from obesity. These substances targets excess glucose that are stored in the body that can become fat if it will not burned when not engaging in an extreme physical activity.
5. Anti-inflammatory response: Polyphenols and Xanthones are also known to produce anti-inflammatory effect to the body of a person eating mangosteen. It blocks histamine and prostaglandin response to our body, inhibiting inflammation that can be found all over the body. A person suffering from asthma, skin allergies, and other respiratory allergies will observe that their body's response becomes resistant to allergens from the outside environment. It also prevents any risk of suffering from anaphylactic shock when exposed to an extreme allergic environment.
6. Reduces blood sugar: Mangosteen has been known to reduce the body's blood sugar level when regularly consumed on a daily basis. Sugar is essential because it fuels our body's energy requirement in order to prevent body fatigue. However, too much sugar can risk our health to develop diabetes. Patients who measured their blood sugar level before and after consuming the plant's fruit revealed a dramatic decrease. The risk of being diagnosed with diabetes is lowered, which can prevent further health risks that might disrupt a person's daily activities.
7. Fights cancer: If you combine all phytochemicals that are being contained in mangosteen, it can help to prevent cancer formations in your body. Cancer is a condition wherein there is an abnormal cell growth inside your body that can harm other organs and tissues. Before cancer forms in your body, it will be already disintegrated by the phytochemicals contained from mangosteen, preventing cancer development inside the body.
Nutritional content of Mangosteen fruit (as per 100 grams of nutritional value)
- Energy = 305 KJ (73 kilocalories)
- Carbohydrates = 17.91 grams
- Dietary Fiber = 1.8 grams
- Fat = 0.58 grams
- Protein = 0.41 grams
Vitamins
- Thiamine (B1) = 0.054 mg or 5%
- Riboflavin (B2) = 0.054 mg or 5%
- Niacin (B3) = 0.286 mg or 2%
- Panthotenic Acid (B5) 0.032 mg or 1%
- Vitamin B6 = 0.018 mg or 1%
- Folate (B9) = 3.1 micrograms or 8%
- Vitamin C = 2.9 mg (3%)
Minerals
- Calcium = 12 mg or 1%
- Iron = 0.3 mg or 2%
- Magnesium = 13 mg or 4%
- Manganese 0.102 mg or 5%
- Phosphorus = 8 mg or 1%
- Potassium = 48 mg or 1%
- Sodium = 7 mg or 0%
- Zinc = 0.21 mg or 2%
