Mango

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This article is about the fruit. For other uses, see Mango (disambiguation).

Mango fruit

Mangoes are juicy stone fruit (drupe) from numerous species of tropical trees belonging to the
flowering plant genus Mangifera, cultivated mostly for their edible fruit.

The majority of these species are found in nature as wild mangoes. The genus belongs to the
cashew family Anacardiaceae. Mangoes are native to South Asia,[1][2] from where the "common
mango" or "Indian mango", Mangifera indica, has been distributed worldwide to become one of
the most widely cultivated fruits in the tropics. Other Mangifera species (e.g. horse mango,
Mangifera foetida) are grown on a more localized basis.

It is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and the national tree of
Bangladesh.[3]
A mango tree in full bloom in Kerala

Mango flower blossom

Contents
[hide]

 1Description
 2Etymology and history
 3Cultivation
o 3.1Cultivars
 4Production
 5Food
o 5.1Cuisine
o 5.2Food constituents
  5.2.1Nutrients
 5.2.2Phytochemicals
o 5.3Flavor
 6Potential for contact dermatitis
 7Cultural significance
 8Gallery
 9See also
 10References
 11Further reading
 12External links

Description
Mango trees grow to 35–40 m (115–131 ft) tall, with a crown radius of 10 m (33 ft). The trees
are long-lived, as some specimens still fruit after 300 years.[4] In deep soil, the taproot descends
to a depth of 6 m (20 ft), with profuse, wide-spreading feeder roots and anchor roots penetrating
deeply into the soil.[1] The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, 15–35 cm (5.9–13.8 in) long,
and 6–16 cm (2.4–6.3 in) broad; when the leaves are young they are orange-pink, rapidly
changing to a dark, glossy red, then dark green as they mature.[1] The flowers are produced in
terminal panicles 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5–
10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long, with a mild, sweet fragrance.[1] Over 500 varieties of mangoes are
known,[1] many of which ripen in summer, while some give a double crop.[5] The fruit takes four
to five months from flowering to ripen.[1]

The ripe fruit varies in size, shape, color, sweetness, and eating quality.[1] Cultivars are variously
yellow, orange, red, or green, and carry a single flat, oblong pit that can be fibrous or hairy on
the surface, and which does not separate easily from the pulp.[1] The fruits may be somewhat
round, oval, or kidney-shaped, ranging from 5–25 centimetres (2–10 in) in length and from 140
grams (5 oz) to 2 kilograms (5 lb) in weight per individual fruit.[1] The skin is leather-like, waxy,
smooth, and fragrant, with color ranging from green to yellow, yellow-orange, yellow-red, or
blushed with various shades of red, purple, pink or yellow when fully ripe.[1]

Ripe intact mangoes give off a distinctive resinous, sweet smell.[1] Inside the pit 1–2 mm (0.039–
0.079 in) thick is a thin lining covering a single seed, 4–7 cm (1.6–2.8 in) long. Mangoes have
recalcitrant seeds which do not survive freezing and drying.[6] Mango trees grow readily from
seeds, with germination success highest when seeds are obtained from mature fruits.[1]

Etymology and history

The mango illustrated by Michael Boym in the 1656 book Flora Sinensis.

The English word "mango" (plural "mangoes" or "mangos") originated from the Malayalam
word māṅṅa (or mangga) via Dravidian mankay and Portuguese manga during the spice trade
period with South India in the 15th and 16th centuries.[7][8][9]

Mango is mentioned by Hendrik van Rheede, the Dutch commander of the Malabar region in his
1678 book, Hortus Malabaricus, about plants having economic value.[10] When mangoes were
first imported to the American colonies in the 17th century, they had to be pickled because of
lack of refrigeration. Other fruits were also pickled and came to be called "mangoes", especially
bell peppers, and in the 18th century, the word "mango" became a verb meaning "to pickle".[11]

Cultivation

Sindhri mango
Closeup of the inflorescence and immature fruits of an 'Alphonso' mango tree

Mangoes have been cultivated in South Asia for thousands of years and reached Southeast Asia
between the fifth and fourth centuries BCE. By the 10th century CE, cultivation had begun in
East Africa.[12] The 14th-century Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta reported it at Mogadishu.[13]
Cultivation came later to Brazil, Bermuda, the West Indies, and Mexico, where an appropriate
climate allows its growth.[12]

The mango is now cultivated in most frost-free tropical and warmer subtropical climates; almost
half of the world's mangoes are cultivated in India alone, with the second-largest source being
China.[14][15][16] Mangoes are also grown in Andalusia, Spain (mainly in Málaga province), as its
coastal subtropical climate is one of the few places in mainland Europe that permits the growth
of tropical plants and fruit trees. The Canary Islands are another notable Spanish producer of the
fruit. Other cultivators include North America (in South Florida and California's Coachella
Valley), South and Central America, the Caribbean, Hawai'i, south, west, and central Africa,
Australia, China, South Korea, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. Though India is the
largest producer of mangoes, it accounts for less than 1% of the international mango trade; India
consumes most of its own production.[17][18]

Many commercial cultivars are grafted on to the cold-hardy rootstock of Gomera-1 mango
cultivar, originally from Cuba. Its root system is well adapted to a coastal Mediterranean
climate.[19] Many of the 1,000+ mango cultivars are easily cultivated using grafted saplings,
ranging from the "turpentine mango" (named for its strong taste of turpentine[20]) to the Bullock's
Heart. Dwarf or semidwarf varieties serve as ornamental plants and can be grown in containers.
A wide variety of diseases can afflict mangoes.

Cultivars

Main article: List of mango cultivars

Alphonso mangoes, named after Afonso de Albuquerque, who introduced the fruit to Goa

There are many hundreds of named mango cultivars. In mango orchards, several cultivars are
often grown in order to improve pollination. Many desired cultivars are monoembryonic and
must be propagated by grafting or they do not breed true. A common monoembryonic cultivar is
'Alphonso', an important export product, considered as "the king of mangoes".[21]

Cultivars that excel in one climate may fail elsewhere. For example, Indian cultivars such as
'Julie', a prolific cultivar in Jamaica, require annual fungicide treatments to escape the lethal
fungal disease anthracnose in Florida. Asian mangoes are resistant to anthracnose.

The current world market is dominated by the cultivar 'Tommy Atkins', a seedling of 'Haden' that
first fruited in 1940 in southern Florida and was initially rejected commercially by Florida
researchers.[22] Growers and importers worldwide have embraced the cultivar for its excellent
productivity and disease resistance, shelf life, transportability, size, and appealing color.[23]
Although the Tommy Atkins cultivar is commercially successful, other cultivars may be
preferred by consumers for eating pleasure, such as Alphonso.[21][23]

Generally, ripe mangoes have an orange-yellow or reddish peel and are juicy for eating, while
exported fruit are often picked while underripe with green peels. Although producing ethylene
while ripening, unripened exported mangoes do not have the same juiciness or flavor as fresh
fruit.

Mango* production – 2016

(millions of
Country tonnes)
India 18.8
China 4.7
Thailand 3.4
Indonesia 2.2
Mexico 2.2
World 46.5
* includes mangosteens and guavas reported to
FAOSTAT
Source: FAOSTAT of the United Nations[24]
Production
In 2016, global production of mangoes (report includes mangosteens and guavas) was 46.5
million tonnes, led by India with 40% (19 million tonnes) of the world total (table).[24] China and
Thailand were the next largest producers (table).

The "hedgehog" style is a form of mango preparation

Food
Mangoes are generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars;
some have a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while others are firmer, like a
cantaloupe or avocado, and some may have a fibrous texture. The skin of unripe, pickled, or
cooked mango can be consumed, but has the potential to cause contact dermatitis of the lips,
gingiva, or tongue in susceptible people.

Cuisine

A glass of mango juice

Sliced Ataulfo mangoes

Mangoes are widely used in cuisine. Sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, athanu,
pickles,[25] side dishes, or may be eaten raw with salt, chili, or soy sauce. A summer drink called
aam panna comes from mangoes. Mango pulp made into jelly or cooked with red gram dhal and
green chillies may be served with cooked rice. Mango lassi is popular throughout South Asia,[26]
prepared by mixing ripe mangoes or mango pulp with buttermilk and sugar. Ripe mangoes are
also used to make curries. Aamras is a popular thick juice made of mangoes with sugar or milk,
and is consumed with chapatis or pooris. The pulp from ripe mangoes is also used to make jam
called mangada. Andhra aavakaaya is a pickle made from raw, unripe, pulpy, and sour mango,
mixed with chili powder, fenugreek seeds, mustard powder, salt, and groundnut oil. Mango is
also used in Andhra Pradesh to make dahl preparations. Gujaratis use mango to make chunda (a
spicy, grated mango delicacy).

Mangoes are used to make murabba (fruit preserves), muramba (a sweet, grated mango
delicacy), amchur (dried and powdered unripe mango), and pickles, including a spicy mustard-
oil pickle and alcohol. Ripe mangoes are often cut into thin layers, desiccated, folded, and then
cut. These bars are similar to dried guava fruit bars available in some countries. The fruit is also
added to cereal products such as muesli and oat granola. Mangoes are often prepared charred in
Hawaii.

Unripe mango may be eaten with bagoong (especially in the Philippines), fish sauce, vinegar,
soy sauce, or with dash of salt (plain or spicy). Dried strips of sweet, ripe mango (sometimes
combined with seedless tamarind to form mangorind) are also popular. Mangoes may be used to
make juices, mango nectar, and as a flavoring and major ingredient in ice cream and sorbetes.

Mango is used to make juices, smoothies, ice cream, fruit bars, raspados, aguas frescas, pies,
and sweet chili sauce, or mixed with chamoy, a sweet and spicy chili paste. It is popular on a
stick dipped in hot chili powder and salt or as a main ingredient in fresh fruit combinations. In
Central America, mango is either eaten green mixed with salt, vinegar, black pepper, and hot
sauce, or ripe in various forms. Toasted and ground pumpkin seed (pepita) with lime and salt are
eaten with green mangoes.[citation needed]

Pieces of mango can be mashed and used as a topping on ice cream or blended with milk and ice
as milkshakes. Sweet glutinous rice is flavored with coconut, then served with sliced mango as a
dessert. In other parts of Southeast Asia, mangoes are pickled with fish sauce and rice vinegar.
Green mangoes can be used in mango salad with fish sauce and dried shrimp. Mango with
condensed milk may be used as a topping for shaved ice.

Food constituents

Mango

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 250 kJ (60 kcal)

Carbohydrates 15 g

Sugars 13.7

Dietary fiber 1.6 g

Fat 0.38 g

Protein 0.82 g

Quantity
Vitamins
%DV†
 7%
Vitamin A equiv. 54 μg
beta-Carotene 6%
lutein zeaxanthin 640 μg
23 μg

2%
Thiamine (B1)
0.028 mg

3%
Riboflavin (B2)
0.038 mg

4%
Niacin (B3)
0.669 mg

4%
Pantothenic acid (B5)
0.197 mg

9%
Vitamin B6
0.119 mg

11%
Folate (B9)
43 μg

2%
Choline
7.6 mg

44%
Vitamin C
36.4 mg

6%
Vitamin E
0.9 mg

4%
Vitamin K
4.2 μg
 Quantity
Minerals
%DV†

1%
Calcium
11 mg

1%
Iron
0.16 mg

3%
Magnesium
10 mg

3%
Manganese
0.063 mg

2%
Phosphorus
14 mg

4%
Potassium
168 mg

0%
Sodium
1 mg

1%
Zinc
0.09 mg

Link to USDA Database entry

 Units
  μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams
 IU = International units

†
Percentages are roughly approximated using
US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Nutrients

The energy value per 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of the common mango is 250 kJ (60 kcal), and that
of the apple mango is slightly higher (330 kJ (79 kcal) per 100 g). Fresh mango contains a
variety of nutrients (right table), but only vitamin C and folate are in significant amounts of the
Daily Value as 44% and 11%, respectively.[27][28]

Phytochemicals