Mangosteen scientifically known as Garcinia mangostana is actually a medium sized, slow-growing, erect, evergreen, lactiferous tree, belonging to the family Clusiaceae ⁄ Guttiferae, in the genus Garcinia L. Some other popular names of Mangosteen includes Purple Mangosteen, King’s-fruit, Mangosteen. It is native to the Malay archipelago in the old world tropics but the exact location is unclear. African mangosteen (Garcinia livingstonei) , Button mangosteen (Garcinia prainiana), Lemon drop mangosteens (Garcinia madruno) are some popular varieties of Mangsteen. Small, deep purple round Mangosteen is in fact a stockroom of numerous health endorsing nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Plant:

Mangosteen is in fact a medium sized; erect, evergreen, slow-growing, lactiferous tree sized about 30-60 feet (9-18 m) tall. It is mainly found growing in a warm to hot, wet and humid tropics with a uniform temperature and a short dry season. Similarly it prefers deep, fertile, friable soil, rich in organic matter. It has bright green and smooth bark when young, turning to dark brown and rough with age and nearly horizontal branches. Leaves are usually elliptical, opposite; slightly glossy above, yellowish-green and dull beneath, 3 1/2 to 10 in (9-25 cm) long and 1 3/4 to 4 in (4.5-10 cm) wide. Flowers are unisexual, dioecious, solitary or in pairs at the branch apex, 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in diameter, with 4 pinkish white petals and 4 persistent sepals.

Fruits:

Mangosteen is an exotic, round, purple color fruit capped with light green calyx at the stem end, 4–7 cm diameter. Fruit is normally pale green when young and changes to pink to maroon to dark purple-black as soon as they ripe. Fruit has smooth, somewhat leathery skin, which encloses slightly sweet and sour flavored snow white mangosteen. Fruits generally ripen from May to July at low altitudes and July and August or August and September in higher elevations. It has 1 to 5 fully developed seeds which is ovoid-oblong, slightly flattened, 1 in (2.5 cm) long and 5/8 in (1.6 cm) wide, unpalatable and bitter in taste. It has sweet and tangy, juicy, somewhat fibrous, with fluid-filled vesicles, which make it ideal for many delicacies and desserts. This particular fruit is very popular because of its juicy,snow-white, tasty arils all over the Asian countries, and throughout the world.

History:

Exact location of origin is uncertain, yet it is native to the Malay archipelago in the old world tropics. It has been recorded to find wild in south Trengganu and Ulu Kemaman in Malaya and in the Sunda Islands and Moluccas (Maluku) in Indonesia. Thailand or Burma is the country where tree have been first domesticated. It is now grown widely in Southeast Asia but during the last three centuries it has been introduced to Sri Lanka, India, the New World tropics, to Northern Australia as well as to the Pacific islands.

Nutritional Value:

Apart from their sweet and tangy, juicy taste mangosteen is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 100 gram of mangosteen supplies, 17.91 g of Carbohydrate, 31 µg of Vitamin B9 (Folate, Folic acid), 0.069 mg of Copper, Cu, 1.8 g of Total dietary Fiber, 0.054 mg of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), 0.102 mg of  Manganese, Mn, 0.054 mg of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) and 0.3 mg of Iron, Fe.

Health Benefits of Mangosteen

1. Anti-inflammatory properties

Mangosteen juice has anti-inflammatory properties which prove to be valuable in avoiding the development of heart disease as well as diabetes in obese patients. Research describes how the juice of the exotic ‘superfruit’ lowered levels of C-reactive protein.

Inflammation, as measured by CRP, is a forecaster of cardiovascular disease and a precursor of metabolic syndrome. Decreasing inflammation in overweight people is a treatment goal, and a natural cure may be better to other treatments which might carry the risk of side effect.(1)

2. Proper Growth

Copper is one of the important mineral which is required for the proper growth and development of the entire body. Therefore it is very important to include Copper rich food in our regular diet to gain the required mineral for the body. Mangosteen consists of huge amount of Copper 0.069 mg which is 7.67% of daily recommended value. Consuming Mangosteen on a regular basis is beneficial in the protection from cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal systems. Growth and development of the organs and tissues, proper oxygenation from an ample red blood cell concentration is almost impossible if you suffer from Copper deficiency. Several birth and growth defects in kids have been noticed in different countries because of Copper deficiency. Having enough mangosteen in your daily diet help proper growth and development of the entire body.

3. Cancer

Cancer is one of the most hazardous diseases which are taking life of many people around the world. Most of us are trying to reduce the occurrence of cancer in the human body. For reducing Cancer cell we need to consume Vitamin B9 or Folic Acid rich foods on a regular basis. A single cup serving of Mangosteen contains 100 g Vitamin B9 which is 7.75% of the daily recommended intake. Besides that the mangosteen fruit contain xanthones which exhibit anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects. The xanthones inhibit the cell growth in human colon cancer and as per a research study they exhibit the potential to be developed as agents to prevent cancer or can be used in combination with anti-cancer drugs for beneficial effects. (2),(3)

4. Healthy skin

Mangosteen fruit help us in maintaining healthy skin. The anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy anti-fungal and anti-oxidant features help in decreasing risk of various conditions like skin inflammation, bacterial infections, eczema, allergies and skin aging. Several Research studies have been carried out to determine the health benefits of mangosteen for skin and research suggests that mangosteen has got anti-skin cancer properties and has the prospective of being an anti-skin cancer agent.(4),(5)

5. Promotes a healthier bowel function 

Dietary fiber found in Mangosteen is often admired for the proper digestive health. Consuming Mangosteen can bulk up the stool and encourage peristaltic motion that helps with regularity of bowel movements. Mangosteen consists of moderate amount of dietary fiber 1.8 g which is 4.74% of daily recommended value. The main function of dietary fiber is to increase the weight of stools and softens it. Stool is passed through the intestinal tract very easily therefore reducing the need for stressed bowel movements. This process will help to maintain proper bowel health and avoid constipation. Additionally insoluble fiber will decrease the transit time of food waste through the intestinal tract, which decreases the contact of harmful substances in food waste with the intestinal wall. If you are suffering from constipation, cramping, bloating, diarrhea or other stomach disorders, dietary fiber of Mangosteen can ease that inflammation and improve the health of your gut.

6. Proper Cardiac Function

Vitamin B1 is a vital human nutrient which belongs to the Vitamin B complex. It plays an important role in sustaining a healthy nervous system and improving the cardiovascular functioning of the body. Vitamin B1 produces neurotransmitter acetylcholine which is utilized to convey messages between the nerves and muscles and to confirm proper cardiac function. Mangosteen includes 0.054 mg which is 4.50% of daily recommended value.  Irregular Cardiac function is the main problem which takes place due to Vitamin B1 deficiency. When Vitamin B1 is given to people suffering from congestive heart failure for about seven days, demonstrated significant improvements in their echocardiograms, which directly prove that vitamin B1 can prevent heart disease. Therefore we must include mangosteen in our daily diet to avoid all these heart associated problems. Research shows Mangosteen may also be helpful in reducing risk of stroke or myocardial infarction which indicate the cardio protective effect of mangosteen on antioxidant tissue defense system and lipid peroxidation during stroke.(6)

7. Alleviating PMS syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the unavoidable and true facts that many ladies suffer from. Manganese helps to ease the headaches, mood swings, irritability and depression to a considerable degree which are common problems during these monthly periods. Different research has concluded that low level of minerals like manganese is the main cause of severe PMS symptoms, therefore manganese supplementation is recommended. Including Mangosteen in your normal diet will definitely help to ease many uncomfortable PMS symptoms.

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How to Eat

• Dessert: Mangosteen arils are consumed fresh as table fruit or dessert.
• Halwa manggis: By boiling the arils of unripe fruits with sugar, Malays make a conserve called halwa manggis.
• Preserve: Preserve is made by boiling the segments in brown sugar, and the seeds may be included to enrich the flavor in Philippines.
• Kolak: The aril is also used to make delicacies like kolak , jenang or dodol, and lempog.
• Purplish jelly: Since rind is rich in pectin so it is treated with 6% sodium chloride to remove astringency, after that rind is made into a purplish jelly.
• Seeds are occasionally eaten alone after boiling or roasting.
• In Indonesia, the fruit is eaten ripe and unripe.

Other Traditional uses and benefits of Mangosteen

• For healing skin infections and wounds and for the relief of diarrhea, fruit hulls of G. mangostana are used in Thai folk medicine.
• Dysentery, abdominal pain, diarrhea, wound infections, suppuration, and chronic ulcer are treated with the use of Mangosteen fruit hull by the people of Southeast Asia.
• Dried and sliced rind is used medicinally as an astringent, or in a decoction administered for dysentery in Malaysia.
• Infusion of the leaves with unripe bananas and a dash of benzoin are applied to wounds after circumcision and to other wounds.
• For irregular menstruation, decoction of the root is drunk.
• To calm thirst in fever ripe fruits are suggested.
• Bark and young leaves are used in dysentery, diarrhea and affections of the genito-urinary tracts, and also as a wash for aphthae of the mouth in India.
• An ointment made from rind is applied on eczema and other skin disorders.
• A bark extract called “amibiasine”, is used for the treatment of amoebic dysentery.

Other Facts

• The bark is used for tanning leather in China.
• For blackening teeth, wood tar prepared from the stem is used.
• The wood is dark-brown, heavy, nearly sinks in water, and is reasonably durable.
• It is used to make handles for spears handles, also rice pounders, and is also employed in construction as well as cabinetwork.
• Twigs are used as chew sticks in Ghana.

Precautions

• Individuals with irritable bowel syndrome can experience diarrhea whenever consuming mangosteen juice.
• People who are hypersensitive to particular kinds of fruit can experience numerous kinds of allergy symptoms right after eating and enjoying mangosteen juice.
• Pregnant women, infants as well as patients who are suffering from cancer as well as particular other serious kinds of health conditions should not drink Mangosteen juice.

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