Mango

Take an exotic, flavoursome trip to the tropics

Best to buy
Choose semisoft fruit with uniformly smooth skin. A couple black spots are acceptable as these indicate a very ripe mango—and the riper, the sweeter.

Cut & clean
Mangos are delicious raw but should be peeled as the skin is very acidic. After peeling, use a sharp knife to cut the flesh away from the large, flat, oval stone in the centre. Or cut away from stone first, score the fruit attached to the peel crossways, and then cut fruit away from the peel to make mango cubes.

Power food
Mangos are an excellent source of vitamins A and C.

Whip up a sweet snack
Enjoy mangos topped with yoghurt or mixed into breakfast cereal. You can also freeze pieces to puree for juice, marmalade, compote, or sauces.

Also indexed as: Manila Mango

Preparation, uses, and tips

Mangos are perfect eaten raw, but they should always be peeled, as the skin is very acidic. After peeling, use a sharp knife to cut the flesh away from the large, flat, oval-shaped stone in the centre. Eat as-is, or top with yoghurt or mix into breakfast cereal. Pieces can be frozen, made into juice, marmalade, compote, or puréed into sauces. Chutney is prepared from unripe, green mangos. Dried mangos are also available in the dried-fruit section of many markets.

Buying and storing tips

Choose semisoft fruit with uniformly smooth skin. A couple of black spots are acceptable as these indicate a very ripe mango (the riper ones are sweeter). Mangos with green areas will ripen at room temperature, although completely green fruit may not. Look for fruit grown in the United States, as imported mangos are often irradiated or sprayed with chemicals banned in the United States. After they are fully ripe, mangos keep a few days in the refrigerator.

Varieties

There are over a thousand varieties of mangos that vary in shape from round to pear-shaped to narrow and oval, and that can weigh up to 4 pounds (1,814g). Mangos sold in markets are usually not differentiated by variety, but are generally 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.5cm) in length and weigh about 8 ounces (227g). One exception is the Manila mango; these are a smaller, golden-yellow variety that are now appearing in markets.

Nutrition Highlights

Mango (sliced, raw), 1 cup (165g)
Calories: 107
Protein: 0.84g
Carbohydrate: 28g
Total Fat: 0.45g
Fiber: 2.97g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin A (6,425 IU), and Vitamin C (45.7mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.