What is a Mangosteen?

With more people now realizing that a healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, what we eat is becoming an integral part of this new outlook. This is why the health benefits of the Mangosteen fruit are making it a popular addition to many people’s diets.

Often confused with a mango, the mangosteen is a different fruit altogether. Found mostly on the Southeast Asian continent, although it can be found in other places with a tropical climate, the mangosteen is a fairly small fruit. In fact, it’s not too dissimilar from a tangerine in size, roughly about 2-3 inches round. It has a colorful purple rind, while the inside is a white-colored fruit with between 4 and 8 segments.

History of the Mangosteen

Although it’s enjoying a particular rise in popularity now, the mangosteen fruit had just as popular a phase in Victorian England times. Indeed, so popular was the flavor of the mangosteen with Queen Victoria that she would bestow a knighthood on any traveler that brought her the fruit back to England with them. High praise indeed.

However, the health benefits of the mangosteen were recognized as far back as 600AD, in its native Southeast Asia. Used as an herbal cure for many ailments, the mangosteen fruit offered an excellent alternative to other medications of the time. By slicing the fruit’s rind and then drying it, and then grinding it down to a powder, it was an easily administered herbal solution as well, which increased its popularity with tribal doctors and medicine men.

Health benefits of a Mangosteen

With over 1400 years of recognized use as an herbal medicine, the mangosteen fruit also offers up various other health benefits. For example, the nutrients that are found in the mangosteen fruit include 40 different xanthones, which are well known for their ability to boost the immune system. Additionally, xanthones also help with any problems you may have with your respiratory system, so the fruit is especially beneficial to asthma sufferers.

Also found in the mangosteen are anti-oxidants, which are extremely powerful nutrients that help to protect your body from free radicals. This ensures that the cells found inside your body remain healthy and are better equipped to fight any invasive germs or unhealthy anti-bodies, and again boost your immune system to cope with the majority of illnesses caused by bacteria.

The Mangosteen Tree

Like many other exotic fruits, the mangosteen grows on a tree, which can grow anywhere up to 80 feet when fully mature. Although this makes harvesting the fruit a little more difficult, it also deters many jungle and forest creatures from getting to the mangosteen itself.

The tree is actually picked for its fruit twice a year, although the first harvest can’t be picked until the tree is at least 10 years old, and more often closer to 20 years old, depending on the climate and growth. When a tree is fully-grown, you can get around 500 mangosteen in the life of the tree. This can actually run to around 100 years in some cases.

Interestingly enough, the tree shares the same plant make-up as the St. John’s Wort tree family, and this includes sharing many of the same beneficial herbal remedies that particular type of tree is known for.

One thing that the mangosteen tree does need is a constant temperature. Whereas some other “tropical” plants can survive in a surrounding with lower temperature, the mangosteen tree needs to be in an environment with a minimum temperature of 40° Fahrenheit. This is one of the biggest reasons that the tree and mangosteen plant is primarily found in the Southeast Asia tropics.

The versatile fruit

As well as herbal and medicinal uses, the mangosteen is also excellent as just an ordinary fruit. Its exotic taste ensures that there aren’t many people who don’t like it. It’s also ideal as a desert, and makes a delicious sorbet when mixed with champagne, egg whites, sugar and lime slices.

With all the benefits that the mangosteen can bring, or even just as a refreshing alternative to oranges or apples, it may be time to add it to your diet if you haven’t already.

More Mangosteen Advice

History and Use of the Mangosteen

The mangosteen is a type of tropical evergreen, that produces a deep, purplish fruit. The flesh of the mangosteen is creamy, citrusy and sweet. Originating in Asia, this fruit has a long history, but is only beginning to become popular in the United States. The first article on the medicinal properties of the mangosteen was written in 1697, by Jacques Garcin, whose name is part of the fruit's scientific designation. Since then, many papers have been written, and the mangosteen has been famous around the world for its unique flavor and the difficulty of obtaining it.
Read more ... History and Use of the Mangosteen

Mangosteen Health Benefits

The primary active components of the mangosteen fruit are called xanthones. Xanthones are a recently discovered class of polyphenolic compounds that are biologically active and structurally similar to bioflavanoids. These compounds occur only rarely in nature, with the majority being found in only two families of plants. Two hundred naturally occurring xanthones have so far been identified. Around forty of them have been discovered in the mangosteen fruit.

Xanthones and their derivatives have been shown to have several benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties, anti-allergic, and anti convulsant abilities. There are also other components of the mangosteen that have medicinal qualities ...
Read more ... Mangosteen Health Benefits

Mangosteen – the Antioxidant Superfood

Mangosteen, a type of fruit that comes from a tropical evergreen tree originating in southeast Asia, has recently been getting a lot of press for its health properties. It's even been called a superfood, for its antioxidant properties and other compounds it contains.

However, some of the things said about mangosteen seem too good to be true. Is it possible for a fruit to prevent cancer, heart disease, and slow aging?

Here's some information about mangosteen, and whether or not it really is an antioxidant superfood. What's a Superfood, Anyway?
Read more ... Mangosteen - the Antioxidant Superfood?

Mangosteen and Lymphatic Disease

Mangosteen, a delicious fruit produced by a type of tropical evergreen native to southeast Asia, contains substances that can help boost and support the lymphatic system, improving overall health. Mangosteen contains flavones and flavonoids that help boost other antioxidants in the body. This include vitamin C and vitamin E. This assists the immune system in protecting the body, and keeps it operating normally.
Read more ... Mangosteen and Lymphatic Disease

How to Choose Mangosteen Supplements

The recent popularity of mangosteen has caused a rise in the number of popular products made from the fruit. However, not all these supplements provide the benefits they promise. Avoid products that promise miraculous recoveries and results because of their use. Instead, look for mangosteen products with ..
Read more ... How to Choose Mangosteen Supplements

Recommend Mangosteen Products

Here are some of the current Mangosteen products we recommend ...