Healthy mango fruits Tropical fruit with sweet and sour aroma

In Spain, the mango harvest has begun. The mango (Mangifera indica) is native to Southeast Asia but is today cultivated in almost all tropical and subtropical areas. In Spain, cultivation has increased significantly in recent years. There are now more than 1,000 varieties, but only a small selection comes to the German market, for example "Tommy Atkins", "Keitt" and "Kent".

The drupes hang on long stems on an evergreen tree, which can grow up to 40 meters high. The "Queen of Fruits" has a leathery shell, under which is the soft and very juicy pulp. In the middle is an elongated and difficult to solve core.

Healthy, juicy and sweet: mango. Image: vmenshov - fotolia

There are two ways you can still get on the flesh without ugly stains on your clothes. After washing with a peeler you can free the mango from its shell and then cut the meat off the stone. Then it is split into cubes or columns. Alternatively, the technique of the "mango hedgehog" has proven itself. To do this, separate the mango halves on both sides of the kernel. These are scored crosswise to just before the shell and arched outwards. Thus, the fruit pieces stand out like hedgehog spines and can be easily solved with the fork.

The mango has a sweet to sweet-sour taste that is reminiscent of peach. If the exotic fruit does not go straight into your mouth, it will taste delicious in lettuce, compote or musm, as a jam or in spicy curry dishes. With onions, garlic, cinnamon, ginger and chili you can make a tasty chutney.
The fruits are rich in B vitamins, vitamin E and provitamin A. The vitamin C content is 37 mg per 100 g. In addition, appreciable amounts of magnesium, potassium and calcium are included.

The mango is available year round in stores. Spanish fruits have season early in the fall. Main growing countries outside Europe are India, China, Thailand and Mexico. The color of the peel varies depending on the variety and therefore says nothing about the degree of ripeness. Even green fruits can be ripe and juicy. A shopping with all the senses helps: A ripe fruit gives in slightly at the touch of a finger and exudes a pleasant smell. If you've got an unripe mango, wrap it in newspaper and let it ripen at room temperature. The refrigerator is not the right place to store, because coldness does not like the exotics. Heike Kreutz, aid