Mango: Medicinal Uses, Health Benefits & Side Effects

Mango is called "The King of fruits" due to its sweetness and richness in phytochemicals and nutrients. It is praised as "heavenly fruit" in Vedas. It is also known as "Super fruit" due to its potential health values. Mango (Mangifera indica) is a member of Anacardiaceae family and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Mango grows in any kind of soil and produces the fruit that may either be licked, eaten or slurped. Langra, Banganpalli, Raselli,, Gulab Khas are some of the Indian mango varieties liked by majority of mango fruit lovers.

Mango is used in various forms such as pickle, chutney, jelly, cooling summer drink, and as vegetable dishes. Unripe mango is also eaten as raw with salt, chilli or soy sauce. Dried and powdered unripe mango called 'amchur' is used as preservative in pickles. Sliced mango is served as a dessert with coconut flavored sweet glutinous rice. A popular drink 'Mango Shake' is prepared throughout South Asia mixing pulp of the ripe mangoes with sugar and milk.

Medicinal Uses:

Mango is considered a very useful remedy and energizer in Ayurveda and used to balance all three humors or doshas (Vata, Kapha or and Pitta), especially Pitta dosha. Its medicinal properties are presented in the bullet form below.

1.The insoluble fiber, present in mangoes, helps the elimination of waste from the colon and prevents constipation.

2. The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

3. A milk-mango shake used in the summers help people gain weight.

4. Extracts of leaves, bark, stem and unripe mangoes are believed to possess antibacterial properties against some micro-organisms

5. Dried mango flowers are used in the treatment of diarrhea, chronic dysentery and some problems of the bladder.

6. The stone (kernel) of the mango fruit is used widely in Ayurvedic medicines for treatment of different ailments

7. Antioxidants and enzymes present in the mango fruits are believed to play an important role in the prevention/protection of cancer (colon, breast, leukemia and prostate) and heart disease. Serum cholesterol is regulated by the high content of fiber, pectin and vitamin C present in the mango.

8. Some of the flavonoids present in the fruit are believed to strengthen the immune system of human body.

9. Presence of fiber and enzymes makes mangoes favorite for healthy digestion.

Traditional Uses As Home Remedies

• Using Aqueous extract of fresh tender mango leaves in the morning, prepared after soaking overnight and filtering in morning, is believed to be useful in the beginning of diabetes.
• Alternately, people also use twice a day (morning & evening) half teaspoonful of powdered leaves after drying them in the shade. It may also provide relief in the dysentery when taken with water 2-3 times a day.
• Mango and Jamun (S. cumini) juice taken in equal proportion is considered useful in controlling diabetes.
• Ash of mango leaves is applied on burns for relief in pain and healing
• Juice of the roasted ripe mango (on hot sand)provides relief in cough.
• Tooth paste, prepared from powdered mango kernal, is believed to strengthen gums
• Boiling 20 g mango bark powder in a liter water till volume reduces merely to 250 g (ml) and using the decoction after mixing 1 g black salt is believed to cure diarrhea
• Juice extracted from fresh flowers and taken after mixing it with curd is reported to be useful in diarrhea
• Paste of decorticated kernel is found useful in leucorrhoea, veginitis and also as a contraceptive

Nutritional properties of Mango fruit:

• Mangoes are rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene (445µg/100 g fruit), and Vitamin C (27.7 g/100 g fruit),
• Mango contains Vitamin A (equivalent 38 µg/100 g fruit), Vitamin E
• Mangoes also contain Vitamin B6 (0.134 mg/100 g fruit), other vitamins B, K,
• Mangoes also supply nutrients such as potassium (156 mg/100g fruit), Calcium (10 mg/100 g), magnesium (10 g), iron(0.12 mg), and zinc (0.04 mg/100 g) and fibre and are low in calories.
• Mango peel and pulp also contain carotenoids, polyphenols, and antioxidents
• The edible peel of the mango is a good source of fibre
• Mango is considered as an energizer in Ayurveda as 100 g mago fruit provides about 17.0 g carbohydrates

• Few local varieties are used sucking the juice of the fruit and not eaten as pieces. Mango sap near the mouth of the fruit (tip with which fruit is attached to the branch) may cause dermatitis on opening of the mouth (near the lips).
• Some juice (sap) should be pumped out by pressing it. Urushiol, a chemical, found in the mango sap produces allergic reactions in some people creating itchy & blistery skin.
• Salmonella Serotype Newport (SN) infections were reported in United States during 1999 and fresh produce of mango was reported to be the cause of salmonellosis.
• Excessive eating may cause diarrhea and increase blood sugar levels. Hence, people suffering from diabetes should take care.
• Mango is a fruit considered rich in sugar and excessive eating may result in weight gain.

Mango Shake Recipe

Ingredients

1. Ice

2. Milk

3. Mangoes

4. Sugar to taste

5. Essence as per taste

How to prepare shake ?

• Make the small pieces and peel off the outer layer of a ripe mango removing the pulp and put it in a blender
• Add crushed ice or ice cubes and 3-4 teaspoon sugar as per your taste
• Pour one cup of milk
• Blend the ingredients gradually and then faster to mix well
• Add few drops of essence
• Serve it adding few ice cubes if used crushed ice.