Do you know anything about mangosteen? No? Then urgently fill the gap in your knowledge and get acquainted with the fruit, which bears the proud title of “The queen of fruits in India”.
The queen of fruits in India, as befits a royal person, has several names: mangosteener, mangosteen, mangosteo, mangoste, mongoose, mangis, mangistan, mang kat, semetah, ezetrol, mangis and the like. The most common is mangosteen, a derivative of English.
What is Mangosteen?
Mangosteen is a tropical fruit of a tree called Garcinia. The appearance of the fruit resembles a chestnut with a dense and thick skin. The color of the fruit is burgundy or purple. The richer the color, the juicier and more ripe the mangosteen. The core consists of 4-8 white cloves, like garlic. Mangosteen is a fruit that grows in subtropical and tropical climates. The main plantations are found in Indonesia, Thailand, India, Vietnam and Colombia. It can be found on store shelves all year round, but the ripening season lasts from May to July.
Mangosteen: how to eat
The palatability of the fruit impresses anyone who tries mangosteen for the first time. The taste of the fruit is difficult to compare with anything one. To some it reminds of a peach, to others – grapes, apricot, ripe orange, and even strawberry notes are “visible”. Everyone notes the light pleasant sourness, incredible aroma and freshness of the fruit.
To buy mangosteen and enjoy its true taste, you need to choose ripe fruit. It should be pressed lightly on the sides. The fruit should be firm, but slightly squeezed. Excessive firmness of the fruit indicates immaturity, and softness indicates the beginning of spoilage from the inside.
The question of how to eat mangosteen arises for everyone who first encounters it. The procedure for cutting the fruit resembles the procedure with an orange. So how to clean mangosteen:
- the stalk comes off along with the leaves;
- the peel is cut crosswise or in a circle and removed;
- The inner part is divided into lobules.
You can also peel the fruit with your hands. The fruit is lightly pressed until light crackling, and then halved. The thick peel (0.5 – 1 cm) makes it possible to gently peel the mangosteen so as not to touch the pulp and spill the juice.
So the fruit is peeled. Now we understand how to eat mangosteen. It is mostly eaten fresh. In the countries of growth, fruit is consumed in almost all dishes: wine, pastries, desserts, first. It is dried, canned and even dried, but in no case is it frozen! So it becomes tasteless and watery.
Most of all, the mangosteen fruit is useful raw, but the bones from the pulp cannot be swallowed. Desserts, smoothies, ice cream and tropical fruit cocktails are considered real exotic fruit. The washed peel can be chopped with a blender and added to meat and fish sauces, soups. Dried ground peel is an ideal addition to salads, first courses and desserts.
Useful properties of mangosteen: benefits and harms, calorie content
Mangosteen brings considerable benefits to the body. The fruit contains 39 antioxidants that destroy free radicals, control weight and rejuvenate the body. The tropical fruit affects the body at the cellular level. Scientists have proven that xanthones in the fetus destroy malignant cells!
Among the main beneficial properties of mangosteen due to which it is called the queen of fruits in India, the following are worth highlighting:
- Protecting the body from bacteria and viruses.
- The ability to control sugar and fat levels.
- Improve protein metabolism and composition of blood.
- Improving digestion and stabilizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Mangosteen puree is recommended for various types of allergies.
- Eliminate gum disease.
- Benefits for glaucoma, eczema.
- Good prevention of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease .
- The antioxidant effect has a positive effect on the condition of the skin.
- Improving a person’s condition with migraines and headaches .
- A large percentage of vitamins C and E strengthens the immune system and improves the condition of the cardiovascular system.
- Normalization of cerebral circulation.
- Prevention of premature skin aging.
- Benefits for male infertility. The fruit improves the quality of the sperm and increases its activity.
- Fat burning properties, so the fruit is used for weight loss.
- Removal of toxins and acceleration of metabolism.
Mangosteen, reviews of which are always positive, is ideal for those who adhere to diets and are a supporter of proper nutrition. The calorie content of the pulp per 100 g of the product is only 73 kcal. However, in dried and dried fruit, this indicator doubles at once.
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How to store mangosteen?
This fruit does not have a long shelf life. In ripe form, it is stored at room temperature for only a couple of days, and mangosteen can be kept in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. The optimal storage temperature for the fetus is considered to be +5 degrees (humidity 85-90%).
Mangosteen is one of the exotic fruits that can ripen in the middle lane. The washed dry fruit can be wrapped in parchment and left to ripen. The fruit is considered “done” when its color turns dark purple.
How to grow mangosteen from a bone at home?
The process of growing the queen of fruits in India at home is quite complicated. For breeding, it is necessary to select large seeds and thoroughly clean them of fibers. Then they are wrapped in wet fiber and covered in a peel, left on the windowsill, and after 4 days the seeds are planted in the ground 1-2 cm deep. After 1-2 weeks, roots begin to emerge. Please note that seeds can only retain germination capacity for 1.5 months after they have been packed.
The soil should be light, be sure to add peat. Drainage is required. The seeds are planted about a couple of centimeters deep, slightly moisten the soil and cover the pot with foil, creating greenhouse conditions. The plant grows slowly. The first sprouts will appear in about 1.5-2 months, and the tree will reach a height of 25 cm in a couple of years.
