Mango: what tradition does with the fruit, the leaves and the seed

Share

FacebookWhatsAppEmailInstagram

0

Mango is not just dessert. The sweet orange flesh is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, the seed kernel yields a butter used on dry hair, and the leaves and bark have their own place in Indian folk practice. Here is which part to use, in what form, how it tastes, and what should make you stop.

What it is credited with

• Vision and skin: naturopathy values beta-carotene-rich fruit for eyesight and skin condition, and mango is one of the richest of the common fruits in that pigment.
• Everyday tone: the vitamin C content gives it a reputation, in naturopathic eating plans, as a fruit for tired, run-down spells.
• Digestion and transit: the flesh has a long-standing reputation as a gentle laxative fruit, thanks to its fibre and water content; herbalists suggest it for sluggish transit.
• Liver and bile: traditional practice credits ripe mango with encouraging bile flow and with a mildly cleansing effect on the digestive tract.
• Appetite: it is popular in slimming diets because it is filling and low in calories, and is often recommended by naturopaths as a sweet course that satisfies.
• Water balance: its water content earns it a reputation as a refreshing, mildly diuretic fruit in hot weather; an infusion of the roots is traditionally used the same way.
• Bark: markedly astringent. In traditional herbalism, a decoction of the bark was used as a mouth rinse for sore gums and aching teeth, and as a wash for haemorrhoids.
• Leaves: in Indian folk practice, a leaf infusion was taken during feverish spells and used as an antiseptic wash.
• Seed kernel: powdered kernel has a traditional reputation in Asian and African folk use as a vermifuge, taken against intestinal worms.
• Skin and hair: cosmetic herbalism credits the pulp with nourishing, hydrating masks, and the butter pressed from the kernel with softening dry, brittle hair.

How to use it

The fruit, eaten

• Choose a mango that gives slightly under the thumb and smells sweet at the stem end; cut either side of the flat stone, score the flesh in a grid, and push the skin inside out.
• One ripe mango, eaten at the end of a meal or as a mid-afternoon snack, is the everyday portion.
• For sluggish digestion, herbalists suggest eating it ripe and fresh, in the morning, for a few days running rather than in one large sitting.
• Blend the flesh with plain yoghurt and a squeeze of lime for a smoothie; or freeze the purée and fork it into a sorbet.

Leaf infusion

• Use a small handful of fresh young leaves, or a good pinch of dried crumbled leaf, per large cup.
• Pour water just off the boil over them, cover, and leave to steep 10 minutes. Strain.
• Bitter and tannic; honey or a slice of ginger makes it drinkable.
• Traditional use keeps it to a cup or two a day, for a few days only, not as a daily habit.

Bark decoction

• Simmer a small amount of dried bark in a cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes, covered, then leave to cool completely.
• Used cooled as a mouth rinse, swished and spat out, or as a compress on the skin.
• Very astringent and drying; it puckers the mouth, which is exactly what it is used for.

Root infusion and kernel powder

• Roots are infused like the leaves, a short steep in freshly boiled water, and traditionally drunk in a short course rather than continuously.
• For the kernel: dry the stone thoroughly, crack it, dry the inner kernel again until brittle, then grind to a powder. Store airtight.
• The powder is bitter and best stirred into a spoonful of honey. This is a folk preparation, not a domestic routine.

In the kitchen

• Raw in fruit salads, in tarts, in mousses and ice creams.
• Diced into starters, or served alongside fish, duck and other poultry.
• Threaded on skewers between prawns and grilled.
• Sautéed with scallops and a spoonful of honey.
• Firm, barely ripe fruit holds its shape best for cooking; very ripe fruit is for purées.

On the skin and hair

• Hydrating mask: blend half a mango with a teaspoon of olive oil, spread on the face, leave 10 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water.
• Body scrub: blend half a mango with two tablespoons of honey and a little coarse salt; rub over damp skin and rinse.
• Hair: warm a little mango seed butter between the palms and work it through the ends; leave on an hour or overnight, then shampoo.
• Quick tone: the inside of the peel, rubbed over the skin, is astringent. Patch-test first, on the forearm, and skip it if you react to cashew or pistachio.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: eat the ripe flesh freely as food, keep the leaf, bark and kernel preparations to short courses, and check with a pharmacist first if you take anticoagulants.

Can I eat mango every day?

As a fruit, yes, one ripe mango a day fits easily into an everyday diet. It is low in calories and filling, which is why naturopathy likes it as a sweet course. What should not become daily are the leaf infusions, bark decoctions and kernel powders.

Should I keep mangoes in the fridge?

Not while they are whole. Keep a ripe mango in a cool spot in the kitchen; the cold dulls its perfume and can turn the flesh woolly. Once cut, store the flesh in a covered box in the fridge and eat it within a day or two.

Why does mango sometimes make my mouth itch?

Mango is in the Anacardiaceae family, alongside cashew, pistachio and poison ivy, and the peel and the sap of unripe fruit contain irritant compounds. That is what causes the itchy rash around the mouth or on the fingers. Peel the fruit without touching your face, and avoid the peel entirely if you react.

What do the leaves and bark taste like?

Bitter and strongly astringent, nothing like the fruit. The leaf infusion needs honey or a slice of ginger to be pleasant, and the bark decoction puckers the mouth, which is precisely why tradition used it as a rinse for sore gums rather than as a drink.

Is the seed of any use?

Yes, in two ways. Dried and ground, the inner kernel has a traditional reputation as a vermifuge in Asian and African folk practice. Pressed, it gives mango butter, used in cosmetic herbalism on dry, brittle hair and rough skin.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.