What is mangosteen good for and what does it taste like. Mangosteen - how to choose and clean, useful properties and effects on the human body

An exotic fruit of the Cluziaceae family grows in South-East Asia. Mangosteen (aka mangosteen or garcinia) is valued for its medicinal and dietary qualities, contains vitamins and macronutrients that are indispensable for the body. The mangosteen tree has a crown in the form of a pyramid, it can stretch up to 25 m in length. The bark is scaly, dark, almost black in color, in the hidden passages of which there is orange latex (Gummi-resina Gutti). Leaves are green and opposite.

Mangosteen: features

The fruit is oval in shape, very beautiful - a thick dark purple or lilac peel hides inside a white, full of sweetness pulp, which is easily divided into slices, and tastes like a tangerine or grape (someone will notice a resemblance to lychee). Inside each slice sits a bone. The fleshy pulp is eaten fresh, marinated, baked or boiled jams, teas, tender puree. Creams for stretch marks, creams, shampoos are made on the basis of mangosteen, and strong furniture is made from the bark of the tree on which the fruits grow. Leaves in Ghana replace chewing gum, and decoctions, thanks to fiber, are able to restore the gastrointestinal tract and internal intestinal microflora, relieve diarrhea, constipation and yeast fungi with thrush.

The peel, which is often mercilessly thrown away in a hurry to get to the juicy fruit, contains a large amount of xanthones (up to 60), which stimulate memory, improve the functioning of the heart muscle (bad cholesterol is removed, the risk of diseases such as ischemia and stroke is reduced).

Xanthones absorb free radicals, destroy viruses, preventing them from entering cells, and strengthen the immune system. Tannin, which is also contained in the peel, easily heals scratches and inflamed wounds, treats acne.

SOS tav mangosteen:

• Ascorbic acid (protects against flu, colds);
• Nicotinic acid (reduces cravings for alcohol and smoking);
• Phytonutrients;
• catechin;
• Vitamin A (retinol);
• Vitamin D, E;
• Pectin (in the peel);
• Cellulose;
• Fatty acids (in seeds);
• Iron;
• Potassium;
• Calcium;
• Phosphorus.

100 g of the product contains only 75 calories. The fruits are quickly digested and create a feeling of satiety for a long time. Not only the peel or pulp of the fruit is useful, but also freshly squeezed juice - it maintains an alkaline balance, accelerates lipid metabolism.

Mangosteen: medicinal use

The fruits are unique - with the help of juicy pulp, you can not only normalize bowel function or lose weight, but also remove headache, reestablish restful sleep, improve the functioning of the thyroid gland. Antioxidants slow down skin aging, cleanse blackheads and pimples, treat dermatitis, eczema, acne, and inhibit the formation of cancer cells. Lotions with fruit juice relieve swelling, relieve joint pain in arthritis, sciatica. The juice is very popular, fights obesity, is recommended by doctors for recovery after surgical operations.

• Cystitis;
• Urethritis;
• Neuralgia, neurasthenia;
• Skin diseases (shredded tree bark is used);
• menstrual irregularities;
• Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's;
• Glaucoma;
• Leukemia;
• Helminthiasis;
• Hypertension;
• Diabetes.

Fruits strengthen the skeletal system, saturate with energy, improve mood.

Harm and contraindications

Mangosteen can provoke allergies, especially for tourists who are unfamiliar with the fruit, but want to satisfy their curiosity. Refrain from eating fleshy slices if you are taking blood thinners: scientists have proven that garcinia affects blood clotting. If fruit juice can be drunk by pregnant women, then it is impossible to use gruel from the peel or peel. If you eat mangosteen in large quantities, you can cause the opposite effect - absent-mindedness, lethargy, or drowsiness instead of activity.

How to choose and clean garcinia

The best time to buy is winter or summer. If the peel is too light, then the fruits were plucked. ahead of schedule, they did not have time to ripen (they can reach the condition even in a plucked form). The peel must be clean, without stains (any dark spot means rotten), and elastic to the touch. A hard fruit is overripe, the pulp inside will be shriveled, and too soft - spoiled. Garcinia will keep in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.

Mangosteen, also called mangosteen and garcinia, exotic fruit the Cluziev family. At home in Southeast Asia, he was awarded the title of king of fruits. According to legend, while walking in the forest, Buddha tasted the fruit of a mangosteen found by chance, which filled him with strength and happiness. After that, the fruit was presented to people.

Benefit

Mangosteen is a therapeutic dietary product widely used in folk medicine Asian countries. Thanks to its unique chemical composition Mangosteen has a powerful healing effect on the body. The fruit is rich in vitamins, micro and macro elements. Ascorbic acid contained in it strengthens the immune system. And nicotinic acid, which is also part of it, makes the fruit useful for people who want to get rid of tobacco or alcohol addiction. The peel of the fruit is the source a large number xanthones (more than 30 species out of 210 known today). They improve brain activity, increase the protective functions of the body and maintain microbiological balance. In addition, xanthones are powerful antioxidants that have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. They affect the human body at the cellular level, kill intracellular viruses before they have time to penetrate into the "holy of holies" - the structure of DNA.

The peel of the fruit is rich in tannins, which contribute to the speedy healing of acne and wounds on the skin.

The peel of the mangosteen is dried, pulverized and used as an astringent for dysentery and fever. Also, an anti-eczema paste is prepared from it. A decoction is made from the leaves and bark of the tree, used for dysentery, diarrhea, high temperature, thrush, stomatitis and inflammation of the urinary tract.

Recently, mangosteen juice has become popular. It strengthens the body, helps to recover more quickly after operations, depression and serious illnesses.

According to scientists, many diseases of the 21st century, including cancer, are directly related to the acidification of the body. This is facilitated by foods such as sugar, coffee, flour products, food additives, dyes, pasteurized and refined products, alcohol, etc. Contributes to the acidification of the body and poor ecology.

Mangosteen juice allows you to maintain in the body high level pH, i.e. alkaline environment. And in it, as you know, microbes and harmful organisms die.

Mangosteen is used to prevent and treat the following diseases:

• arthritis
• osteoporosis;
• atherosclerosis;
• hypertension;
• kidney stones;
• cataracts;
• oncology.

In addition, the fruit has the following therapeutic effect on the body:

Mangosteen is used for cosmetic purposes. The substances contained in the peel of the fruit help fight acne, wrinkles and make the skin healthier.

Harm

For people who do not live in places where mangosteen grows, it can be dangerous due to individual intolerance.

No other harm was found in mangosteen.

calories

100 grams of mangosteen contains about 73 kcal. Of these: proteins - 0.6 g (~ 3 kcal), fats - 0.6 g (~ 3 kcal), carbohydrates - 15.9 g (~ 67 kcal). But mangosteen jams are much more nutritious than fresh fruit: they contain 210 kcal per 100 g. product.

A regular 200 milligram glass contains 196 grams of mangosteen (~ 143.1 kcal), a faceted glass contains 216 grams (~ 157.7 kcal).

Contraindications

Mangosteen is contraindicated in people with individual intolerance to this fruit and frequent allergic reactions to it. An allergy can manifest itself in the form of a rash and skin redness, accompanied by itching. For some, it is in the form of pain in the joints.

The fruit and juice from it can be eaten by pregnant women and nursing mothers, as it is a source of a large amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. But here it is important to ensure that mom and baby do not have allergic reaction for this product.

The nutritional value

Mangosteen is a small treasury of health. Its unique composition helps to improve health and fight various ailments.

Vitamins and minerals

Mangosteen is rich in B vitamins, minerals, powerful antioxidants - xanthones, flavonoids and other substances that make the fruit amazingly beneficial to human health.

As soon as they don’t call the exotic mangosteen fruit growing in the hot tropics of Southeast Asia, Central America and Africa - mangosteen, mangosteen, garcinia, mankut ... It resembles an apple with a thick purple or brown peel, inside of which there is a white edible pulp in the form of juicy slices white color similar to garlic. In some slices, you can find edible seeds that taste like acorns. On the lower part of the fruit, a flower is drawn by nature, the number of petals of which coincides with the number of slices inside.

A feature of mangosteen is a slight sourness, which is present even in ripe fruits. The taste of the pulp can be described as a combination of citrus, grape, pineapple, strawberry, peach and apricot. Sweet, slightly sour white slices, juicy, jelly-like and fragrant, melt in your mouth and perfectly quench your thirst. Mangosteen tasting can turn into a real culinary experience for those who have never encountered such an exotic.

Choosing a ripe mangosteen

When choosing a mangosteen, pay attention to the color of the leaves crowning the top of the fruit - they should be bright green, not brown. The brown color of the leaves indicates that the mangosteen is overripe and has begun to deteriorate, so it's better not to risk it. Another sign of spoiled fruit is a skin that is too hard, like a watermelon, because a ripe mangosteen is resilient and slightly springy when pressed.

exotic fruit has one unique feature- if it is rotten, it does not affect its appearance in any way. The only way check the quality of the fruit - touch it and carefully examine the leaves, preferring large fruits small, because the latter contain less pulp.

How do you eat mangosteen?

Before you eat a healthy delicious fruit, you need to cut it properly, and there are several ways to do this. The first is the easiest: tear off the top leaves (if the fruit is very ripe) and lightly press on the top of the fruit, as a result of which it will crack and release the ripe pulp. The second way is more aesthetic: make a circular incision with a knife, without touching the pulp, and open the fruit. However, such a manipulation should not be done with hard fruits, so as not to injure the hand. Can also be cut with a knife upper part mangosteen, and eat the pulp with a spoon.

Mangosteen is eaten fresh and stored in the refrigerator for two weeks. Fruits with intact peel can lie for a month at high humidity and a temperature of + 3-6 ° C. The refreshing taste, combined with beneficial properties, makes the fruit especially valuable; the flavonoids included in its composition are considered natural antidepressants, which are found in abundance in dark chocolate and ground coffee.

Mangosteen is still cooking!

This delicious tropical fruit is used in juices, exotic salads, smoothies, mousses, sweet pie fillings, soufflés and savory meat and fish sauces. Mangosteen gives dishes freshness, finesse and citrus flavor. It is enough to cut the pulp of the fruit into small pieces and add them to yogurt, salad or ice cream - the success of the dish is guaranteed!

In some countries, young mangosteens are canned and dried, however heat treatment reduces the aromatic and taste properties of the fruit. Mangosteen jam is considered a delicious dessert in Asia - for this, the white pulp is briefly boiled with brown sugar and cinnamon. The seeds of the fruit are roasted and used as food, and a delicious jelly is made from the soft peel.

Mangosteen is a fruit that belongs to the Clusia family. It tastes like strawberries, sweet grapes and peach. Exotic fruit reach 3.5-7.5 cm in diameter. And the purple peel of a mangosteen with a maroon tint can be up to 1 cm thick. Inside the fruit is a white pulp, consisting of 4-8 parts (like a tangerine). In the pulp there are seeds that fit tightly to each other. The taste of mangosteen is sweet, with a slight sour tint. And the sugar aroma from the fruit adds piquancy and charm to the fruit.

Those who are not yet familiar with mangosteen should know: you can peel this fruit in the same way as an orange that is already familiar to everyone.

Other names: mangosteen, mangosteen and derivatives.

This fruit contains many useful components. Among them are vitamins B1 and C, minerals (potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium), alimentary fiber(approx. 5% of the total weight of the fetus). The calorie content of mangosteen is low, and therefore the fruit can be a frequent guest on the table among connoisseurs of a healthy and low-calorie diet.

Where does mangosteen grow?

In tropical latitudes (South of Asia and America, Africa). To grow, it is necessary to constantly maintain heat: the fruit dies at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Not everyone wants to grow mangosteen, because the first fruits will appear on the tree only 8-10 years after planting the seed tropical fruit. But the result is worth the wait, because mangosteen has a whole range of healing properties.

Useful properties of mangosteen

Mangosteen contains many useful components that are very necessary for the body. The special benefits of mangosteen available ascorbic acid that helps to strengthen the immune system. The fruit also contains nicotinic acid, which improves the well-being of people seeking to get rid of alcohol or nicotine addiction.

The composition of the peel of the fruit includes tannins, which have a wound healing effect and help get rid of acne on the skin of the face. Also in the peel there are xanthones: substances that strengthen the immune system, optimize brain function, maintain bio- and microbalance in skin, strengthen the heart, are effective in the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, xanthones are strong antioxidants, which is important for preventing aging and is necessary to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Crushed mangosteen bark is also used to make ointments. And they, in turn, have proven their effectiveness in the fight against many skin diseases.

Not surprisingly, the mask with juice or mangosteen peel is gaining more and more popularity.

The benefits of mangosteen have been known for a long time. Therefore, this fruit is often used in folk medicine. In addition to curing skin diseases, mangosteen is able to bring down the heat: for this, a decoction is prepared from the roots and leaves of an exotic plant. Also, mangosteen fruit is widely used in the prevention of thrush, inflammation of the genitourinary system and dysentery.

Also, this fruit is useful in the prevention of a number of diseases, including:

• osteoporosis;
• hypertension;
• atherosclerosis;
• cataracts;
• infectious and catarrhal diseases;
• renal failure and other kidney diseases.

What to cook from mangosteen?

Mangosteen fruit is eaten alone or used for cooking at home. Special place in cooking takes the pulp of mangosteen. It is often used for cooking fruit dishes, salads or as an accompaniment to spicy dishes.

Also, the dried peel of the fruit is often added to tea, which gives the drink a unique sweet-sour taste and a tart exotic aroma. Another way to use tropical fruit peel is to grind it into powder for later addition to cosmetics and traditional medicine.
And mangosteen oil is often added to various cosmetic products, because very few skin care products have the antibacterial effect that tropical fruit essential oil has. In addition, a hair mask with the addition of a few drops essential oil mangosteen, will be able to give hair shine, softness, the roots from such a healing mask will receive additional nutrition. With mangosteen oil, you will forget about dandruff and split ends.

Mangosteen juice is a frequent ingredient in the preparation of sauces, desserts, and flour-based products. And some peoples even use seeds in cooking exotic fruit: they are fried or boiled. Also, the juice of this tropical fruit helps to lose weight and get rid of body fat.

Harm magustina

The possible harm that mangosteen can do is minimal. The only negative point is associated with individual intolerance to the fruit. Mangosteen does not have other contraindications today.

Most recently hit the shelves of supermarkets in our country. Thailand, on the other hand, has not only been cultivating mangosteen trees for a long time, but is also the world leader in the export of their fruits. Already in the middle of the last century under plantations mangosteen there were more than 4 thousand hectares of Thai lands.

The exact place of origin of mangosteen trees has not been identified. Ancient mangosteen forests are found in the Moluccas in Malaysia. Mangosteen is a capricious plant that does not tolerate even a slight drought and wind. Therefore, their artificial breeding requires a lot of labor. Nevertheless, mangosteen trees gradually spread throughout the South Asian region. In addition to Thailand, mangosteen is cultivated today in Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, Kampuchea, Malaysia, India, Africa, the Philippines, Jamaica, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

There are several varieties of mangosteen in the world, the fruits of which almost do not differ from each other. appearance, no taste. Exception: in North Brunei there is a wild variety of the plant, the fruit of which has only four lobules with a seed in each. Mangosteen is also known as mangosteen».

Biological description of mangosteen (mangosteen)

mangosteen- the fruit of a slow-growing, straight-stemmed tree, raising its pyramidal crown above the ground to a height of up to 25 meters. The trunk of the mangosteen tree is covered with almost black or dark brown scaly bark. Beneath the bark is bitter resinous latex yellow color. The short-petiolate leaves are opposite, oblong-lanceolate or elliptical, thin and leathery. The base of the dark green leaf is shiny and yellowish green. The leaves grow to a length of 25 centimeters and a width of 10 centimeters. Each vein is clearly visible on them.

The fleshy mangosteen flowers bloom up to 5 centimeters in diameter. They are located in small groups (3-9 each) at the ends of branches and can be either only male or bisexual on the same tree. Each flower has four oval petals, four sepals and many stamens. FROM outside petals are decorated with green and red spots, and on the inside - red-yellow.

The fruit of the mangosteen tree is at the end of the stem. It is smooth and spherical (diameter - up to 7.5 centimeters). skin color mangosteen- from red-lilac to dark lilac. The peel of the mangosteen is thick (up to 1 cm in section) and white-purple inside. It contains purple coloring juice and yellowish bitter latex. The pulp located inside the peel is divided into 4-8 slices. Fully developed seeds are not present in every fruit. The taste of aromatic pulp - from sweet-sour to frankly sour.

Legends of mangosteen (mangosteen)

Europeans fell in love with mangosteen so much that data about him fell into historical chronicles and diaries. famous people. For example, Queen Victoria liked the taste of mangosteen so much that she issued a decree in which she promised a substantial monetary reward to anyone who would regularly supply exotic fruit to the royal table. And the Swedish scientist Eric Mjoberg at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries compared attempts to describe a delicious taste mangosteen with blasphemy.

Useful properties of mangosteen (mangosteen)

Mangosteen contains: useful material, as phosphorus, calcium and vitamins B and C. The pulp contains the natural antioxidant xanthonise. In the long secretory ducts of the core and bark of the mangosteen tree, Gummi-resina Gutti latex circulates, which is used for the production of paints and varnishes.

Mangosteen has been used in Thai medicine since ancient times. Extracts from fruit treat infectious diseases, they are used to prevent infections, increase the energy of the body, as an anesthetic and anti-inflammatory agent. For centuries, the fruit has helped people overcome diseases such as bronchitis, cholera, cystitis, diabetes, eczema, dysentery.

Research recent years discovered in the fruits of mangosteen antioxidants (xanthones) - substances that can resist cancer. In addition, xanthones are widely used in pharmacology to maintain joint flexibility, strengthen the immune system, and improve mental health.

Mangosteen is part of the Zambroza berry and fruit drink, which is produced according to the GMP standard.

Who can eat mangosteen?

Like any exotic fruit, mangosteen can cause allergies in people who are not used to it. If a rash, redness and itching appear on the skin, as well as unusual pain in the joints, mangosteen should be excluded from your diet.

Mangosteen in cooking

Mangosteen is most often eaten raw. After heat treatment from fruit get a delicious sweet and sour jam. There are Thai recipes in which mangosteen slices, along with seeds, are marinated in brown sugar.

How to store mangosteen

Stored in a dry place at room temperature, mangosteens will lie unchanged for almost a month before their skin begins to become tough and the flesh dry. Studies have shown that at a temperature of + 3 ... 6 ° C and humidity, about 90% of mangosteen retain their taste and beneficial features within 49 days.

Other uses for mangosteen

In Ghana, mangosteen twigs are chewed like chewing sticks. In China, the peel of the fruit, which contains a lot of tannin, catechin and resins, is added to compositions for tanning leather and making black dye. The wood of the mangosteen tree is used in carpentry and construction.

By the way…

Little known to our compatriots, the mangosteen managed to "shine" in Soviet cinema. In the film “Guest from the Future”, based on the story of Kir Bulychev “A Hundred Years Ahead”, the main character says:

- ... you take a mangosteen, and fry it in peteyar oil for five minutes ...