Mangosteen

What is Mangosteen?

Mangosteen Tree (Photo credit: Terapin Flyer)

Mangosteen fruit (Garcinia mangostana) is a unique pear-shaped, sweet, juicy and tangy tropical fruit which has a deep reddish-purple colored exocarp (rind) when ripe. Grows on a evergreen tree native to the islands of Southeast Asia.

Natives in these parts of the world also refer to mangosteen as “queen of fruits” or “fruit of the gods”. This fruit has been major part in almost every aspect in the traditional medicine in these cultures. The rind of this fruit has been used for its medicinal value for generations.

Mangosteen tree can grow from 6 to 25 m tall, it has a dark brown or almost black flaking-bark and some thick, leathery and elliptic dark green short-stalked leaves, and does not like the cold weather too much.

Short term cold usually is not too dangerous for older trees, but prolonged exposure to very low temperatures of below 0 °C can kill even a mature mangosteen tree. While it can be cultivated in a number of different areas, it grows almost exclusively in tropical climates.

Generally purple in color, the fruit comes in a variety of different shapes and colors and may appear pale yellow or deep purple, depending on the exact location and type of tree that the fruit comes from. There are a number of color variations that exist within this range as well.

The exocarp (rind) of this fruit comprises of a unique array of polyphenols, like tannin and xanthones which protects the tree against insect, plant virus and fungi infestation and even animal predation. In fact according to various folktales, the rind was used to prepare a unique tea that can cure various conditions like gonorrhea, diarrhea and bladder infections. An ointment with this rind as it’s main ingredient was used to cure various skin rashes and even acnes.

What Are The Most Famous Mangosteen Benefits?

Health benefits of mangosteen have been known to people in Eastern cultures for years. However, most people in Western culture are only now beginning to become aware of the many important benefits of consuming the mangosteen fruit can have for individuals who suffer from a variety of health concerns.

Even Dr. Oz included mangosteen fruit on his list of superfoods. The health benefits of mangosteen are prevalent for those who wish to lead a more healthy lifestyle and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets. Here are some of the most notable mangosteen benefits:

• Antioxidant properties – The main proponent of the mangosteen fruit,xanthones, are responsible for the effectiveness of the fruit in aiding the health of individuals. There are over 200 known xanthones in nature, amazingly 20 of them are found in mangosteen, concentrated mainly in the rind. These compounds help in reducing radicals and giving a boost to the body’s immune system.

Xanthones are naturally occurring phytonutrients derived organically from plants which grow in certain regions, such as the mangosteen tree. Xanthones are thought to support many of the vital functions of the body, including immune health. Higher quality of mangosteen juice has the rind as part of the pulp just because of the xanthones content it contains.

• Helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate – Mangosteen fruit also contains high levels of magnesium. This may help control the electrical function of the heart, keeping the heart rate and blood pressure under control and promoting a regular heart beat. This is vitally important for people with minor symptoms concerning their circulatory systems.

• Prevents inflammation – This has wide reaching health benefits for people who suffer from a variety of diseases related to inflammation. Due to the fact that many respiratory issues are caused by inflammation within the passageways of the lungs, thus restricting an individual’s ability to breathe normally, reducing that inflammation has the ability to open up the airways and allow normal breathing. Therefore, mangosteen fruit may help anyone who suffer from various breathing problems.

There has been a long-existing train of thought that the ability to effectively and safely reduce inflammation may help prevent further health complications with many of the more serious diseases such as: cancer, heart disease or respiratory issues. Moreover, preventing inflammation may help people who have mobility issues due to swelling and soreness in the joints to feel better and be able to move more freely. This directly affects an individual’s overall health and their ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle over a period of time.

• Improve digestion – The fiber which naturally exists in the mangosteen fruit may help anyone who suffer from digestive problems to better regulate their digestive systems. This can result in increased health throughout their bodies, as many digestive issues negatively affect other areas of the body and may even serve as a springboard for other health issues to surface.

• Treats acne, minor cuts and various skin conditions – People in Southeast Asia had figure it out very early that the pulp of mangosteen will stop the bleeding and act like antiseptic if applied topically, luckily today there are mangosteen products available which is believed to help with some skin disorders like acne.

• Antihistamine properties – In addition to these potential health benefits of mangosteen, this fruit may also help anyone who suffer from allergies. This is also largely due to the ability of the fruit to reduce inflammation. Mangosteen also acts as a natural antihistamine. Some individuals who suffer from certain diseases of the eyes are also unable to take allergy medications. Therefore, they are left to try to find solutions that work for them without making their existing health conditions worse.

• Maintaining a healthy weight – Anyone who are searching for a natural and safe way to maintain a healthy weight can benefit a great deal from consuming the mangosteen fruit. Mangosteen is a low calorie fruit that is high in vitamins which aids in the metabolism. This means the potential for a leaner and more healthy body, as well as having more energy. The fruit also has a high fiber content. It’s fiber content combined with the B-complex vitamins that are contained in the fruit aid in maintaining a healthy weight by safely increasing metabolism and assisting in more efficient function within the digestive system.

Unlike prescription medications, mangosteen does not act as a stimulant. Therefore, consumers may be able to get similar benefits from eating the mangosteen fruit as they would get from taking prescription medications to help them breathe better, without worrying about increasing their blood pressure and heart rate in the process. This is extremely critical for those people who already suffer from high blood pressure or other heart problems.

Even for those who do not suffer from any health conditions, eating the mangosteen fruit or drinking mangosteen juice is a great way to continue a healthy lifestyle by providing delicious, low calorie nutrition that is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

When coupled with the potential health benefits that may be offered by the mangosteen and the fact that few, if any side effects have ever been discovered, anyone who have yet to experience the benefits of the fruit may be doing themselves a favor by making this fruit a regular part of their diet.