What is a mangosteen?
The mangosteen fruit, though well known in tropical and subtropical climates, is relatively rare in most other countries. Given its name, the mangosteen can easily be mistaken for a mango hybrid. Although mangosteen and mango are from the same family and grow in the same areas, these two fruits not only look different, they taste very different.
A mangosteen fruit is about the same size as an orange, but with deep purple skin. The outer rind of a mangosteen is very leathery, scarred, and serves to protect the delicious inner flesh. On each mangosteen fruit there is a scar at one end showing the remains of the flower that once grew there. Interestingly, based on how many flower segments are still in the scar, you can tell how many fruit segments will be inside.
The flavor of a mangosteen has been assimilated to that of no other fruit, hence the nickname “Queen of Fruits” or “Food of the Gods” in some Caribbean islands. While it’s hard to describe its flavor, many people liken it to a cross between strawberries and oranges, with just a hint of tartness. However, the texture of the rich inner pulp is very similar to a ripe plum. Traditionally, the mangosteen is a fruit best experienced fresh and unprocessed. However, as it begins to gain popularity in countries around the world, the mangosteen can be found canned or frozen, and made into syrup, preserves, and most popularly, juice.
The origin of the mangosteen
While Chinese and Ayurvedic practitioners have known of mangosteen’s high nutritional and medicinal value for hundreds of years, it was first “discovered” by French explorer Laurentiers Garcin in the 18th century. From him comes the scientific name of the mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana.
The mangosteen tree does not grow well as a “wild plant” and does best if grown in the perfect climate. Most of the plants are found in Thailand, a country so enamored of the mangosteen that it adopted it as its national fruit.
Although efforts have been made to cultivate orchards, due to their finicky growth patterns and unpredictable harvest times, mangosteen trees are mostly found along the banks of rivers or lakes, as the tree roots need moisture. almost constant.
Due to government regulations, the importation of fresh mangosteen into the United States is illegal. Fears of introducing the devastating Asian fruit fly into the country have mostly kept the fruits from crossing borders, although one can occasionally find a mangosteen fruit on the shelves of a small Asian grocery store. And because mangosteen trees only grow in certain climates, attempts to grow the fruit within the country have yet to have “fruitful” success.
Making mangosteen mass production more difficult, it takes many years after planting for a tree to start producing fruit. From the time a mangosteen seed is planted, it will take ten years or more for the growing tree to start producing fruit. Unusually for a tropical fruit tree, the mangosteen tree will only grow 10-20 feet tall. Once it reaches full growth, an average tree will produce approximately 500 mangosteen fruits per harvest. However, the longer a mangosteen tree stands, the higher the yield. There have been reports of 30-year-old mangosteen trees producing up to 2,000 fruits in one season.
enjoying the mangosteen
As mentioned, importing mangosteen into the United States is currently illegal due to health regulations. However, fresh mangosteen can be found in countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, sparingly in Puerto Rico, and scattered throughout the West Indies.
Care should be taken when eating a fresh mangosteen. The outer rind is quite hard and leathery, and the deep purple-red juice from the rind stains almost anything it comes in contact with. Traditionally, the rind of the mangosteen should be broken by hand, not cut with a knife. As the shell begins to crack, the delicious inner segments of the fruit can flake off. To enjoy the mangosteen to its fullest, the hard, leathery outer shell should be avoided by pulling the segments before eating, as the sap in the peel is quite unpleasant and bitter.
It may be possible to find canned mangosteen; however, it is widely known that much of the flavor of the fruit is lost through the canning process. In the Philippines, many who try to preserve the fruit first boil it in a thick brown sugar syrup.
Other Mangosteen Uses
While the rind of the mangosteen is sometimes used for tanning leather, and the twigs of the trees are the favorite “chewing sticks” in Ghana, the most popular alternative use of the mangosteen is nutritional and medicinal.
From Singapore to China, different aspects of the fruit are used to treat and cure a wide variety of medical conditions. From dysentery to eczema, it appears scientifically that mangosteen has a multitude of beneficial uses.
Much of the reason mangosteen is such a powerful curative is believed to be due to its high level of xanthones, which are biologically active plant phenols that are somewhat similar to flavonoids. While most fruits contain xanthones, the mangosteen appears to encompass at least 40 of the 200 types of xanthones currently discovered, making it incredibly rich in nutritional properties. In fact, it is something of a “wonder fruit” as it is the only fruit so far known to science to contain such a high percentage of xanthones.
Furthermore, mangosteen also has many other necessary nutritional properties such as fiber, calcium, iron, and thiamine.
Given its delicious taste and exponential nutritional value, the mangosteen truly lives up to its nickname: “Queen of Fruits.”