MANGO - Is is good for health?

The mango is a stone fruit which belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, which are flowering plants that produce fruits. Mangos are native to south Asia and is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Since the mango leaves are considered toxic and can kill cattle or other grazing livestock, mango growers and livestock owners need to be mindful about not locating grazing areas near mango groves and not feed production discards to animals. Global production of mangos has doubled in the last thirty years. Most mango production is centered in India, China, Thailand, Pakistan, and Mexico, but there are currently more than 90 countries that grow mangos commercially. Countries in the Americas and Africa produce a small percentage of the world’s mango crop each year—13 percent Fig 1 - Top Mango Producing States in the US and 10 percent, respectively. Asia, where the mango is native, is the largest mango-producing region, producing 77 percent of global supply annually. Within the U.S., a limited number of mangos are grown in Florida, Hawaii, California, and Puerto Rico (Fig 1). U.S. commercial production of mangos began with the introduction of the Haden variety of mango in 1863 in Miami. International mango trade is increasing, with exports sold to European and U.S. markets. Most of the mangos sold in the United States are imported from Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guatemala, Haiti, and Mexico. Eighty-six percent of the mangos imported into the U.S. are supplied by Mexico, making this country the largest supplier to the United States. Mango trees are deep-rooted evergreens that can grow to be very large. Depending on the variety, these trees can grow as tall as 90 feet with a canopy width of up to 80 feet and have leaves that are 12 to 16 inches long. Today the most popular cultivated mango varieties include: Tommy Atkins, Keitt, Kent, Osteen, Haden, and Valencia Pride. Mangos have two growing seasons - spring through summer and fall through winter. Due to the alternate harvest times in the various growing regions around the world, the fruit is available year-round to U.S. consumers. The immature fruit has green skin that gradually turns yellow, orange, purple, red, or combinations of these colors as the fruit matures. Mature fruit has a characteristic fragrance and a smooth, thin, tough skin. The pale yellow or orange flesh of ripe mangos is juicy, sweet, and sometimes fibrous.