Mangosteen

Also known asGarcinia mangostana · 山竹 · Manggis

Name: Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), often called the “queen of fruits” in Southeast Asia, a counterpart to the durian, the “king.” Despite the name, it is unrelated to the mango.

Description

Mangosteen is native to the Malay Archipelago, in the islands of Southeast Asia, and has been cultivated there for centuries. It is a slow-growing tropical tree that needs a warm, humid climate and takes many years to bear fruit, which helps explain why it is relatively rare and expensive outside Asia. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam are major producers.

The fruit is about the size of a tangerine, with a thick, hard, dark purple rind that protects soft, snow-white segments inside. The number of segments matches the number of lobes on the base of the fruit, and a larger segment may contain a seed. The flesh is juicy, sweet and slightly tart, with a delicate flavour often compared to peach, lychee and citrus. For many years, fresh mangosteen could not be imported into the United States because of fruit-fly quarantine rules, until irradiated imports were permitted in 2007.

Main nutrition value

Mangosteen flesh provides vitamin C, folate, fibre and manganese, and the rind is rich in plant compounds called xanthones, which are the subject of ongoing research.

How best to be consumed

Only the white segments are eaten, and the thick rind is discarded.

1. Squeeze or cut around the middle of the rind to open it, then lift out the white segments.
2. Eat fresh and chilled, avoiding contact with the purple rind juice, which stains.
3. Discard the bitter seed, if present, in larger segments.
4. Add segments to fruit salads and desserts, or serve on their own.
5. Choose fruit with fresh green calyx and rind that gives slightly when pressed.

Overconsumption could cause…

Mangosteen flesh is safe in ordinary amounts, and the main points are about rind and supplements.

1. Stomach upset from eating rind or concentrated rind extracts, which are not part of normal eating.
2. Possible interactions with blood-thinning medicines from concentrated mangosteen supplements and juices, so ask a doctor or pharmacist.
3. High sugar intake if many are eaten at once.
4. Allergic reactions in rare cases.

GroupsTropical FruitsSoutheast AsianFresh

Related foodsCalamansiDragon Fruit / PitayaDurianLangsat / DukuRambutanSalak / Snake Fruit

Wikipedia — Mangosteen, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangosteen