JCC Banter: Mangoes – the kings of fruits

by Katherine Matutes

I’ll never forget the first mango I ever tasted – it was 25 years ago. The fruit was so sweet and exotic, almost like a plant marriage between a peach, pineapple and a banana. I stood on my back porch eating the flesh from the fibrous pit with juice running all the way down my arms and dripping off my elbows.

There was a limited selection of fruits for me to enjoy growing up in Indiana, but today it is much easier to get fruits and vegetables from afar. Mangoes come from Asia and South America and are grown more locally in Florida and California. There are so many varieties – over 1,000 – growers are able to cultivate mangoes starting in May, and they stay in season until September.

The mango has been dubbed “the king of fruits,” and four amazing nutrients are the jewels in its crown for being a super-healthy fruit.

1. Fiber – One mango has more than 10 percent of your daily-recommended fiber, which is a good thing, because fiber promotes a healthy heart and colon.

2. Folate – Anyone with cells – that’s all of us – benefits from folate. Folate promotes healthy cell regeneration, which can be especially important for expecting mothers.

3. Vitamin C – Depending on the variety, one mango can have twice the vitamin C of an orange. That is a whole lot of immunity-boosting power to help your body fight off illness.

4. Beta-carotene – Made famous by carrots, beta-carotene is a vitally important antioxidant that helps your body fight off free radicals, or chemicals, that can damage your body’s tissues.

With all its health benefits, you can savor the fruit alone or transform ordinary dishes with the recipe below for mango pico de gallo. It’s fabulous on just about everything. Try it on grilled chicken, fish or hamburgers or turn it into an amazing salad by mixing it half and half with quinoa.