Mango or Mangnifera is native to Indian subcontinent and is a member of family Anacardiaceae. Mangifera indica or the Indian mango is the only mango tree cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions and distributed worldwide. In many cultures the fruits and leaves are a part of public ceremonies like weddings where they are used for floral decorations. Mango has derived its name from the Tamil word. They were first imported to the American colonies in the 17th century in the pickled form as no refrigeration was available at that time.
Mango trees are known to attain a height of 35-40 m with a distinct crown of 10 m. The trees are able to survive for many years. Records have suggested that few trees have lived up to three hundred years. The tree bears a taproot that penetrates to about 6 m deep in the soil with profuse branching system which hold the tree firmly. The leaves are simple, alternate and evergreen. They are 15-35 cm long and 6-16 cm wide. Young leaves are orange-pink in colour but become dark green when they attain maturity. The flowers are borne in terminal panicles which are 10-40 cm long. The flowers are small, white, 5 petaled and bear sweet fragrance. The fruits take 3-6 months of time to ripen fully.
The fully ripe fruit varies in size and colour. The cultivated varieties may be yellow, orange, red or green with a flat, oblong pit that may or may not be hairy and does not separate easily from the pulp. Ripe and unpeeled fruit gives a sweet and resinous smell. Inside the pit a single seed is present which contains the embryo.
At present mangoes are cultivated in frost-free tropical and warmer subtropical climates but about half of the total mango produced in India comes from India. The peeling of mango is known to contain urushiol which is also present in poison ivy and poison sumac and can cause urushiol-induced contact dermatitis in susceptible people. Urushiol is also present in mango leaves and stems. Fruits are generally sweet and their flavor and texture can be compared with that of the plum. They are widely used in cuisines all over the world. Sour, unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, pickles. They may be eaten raw or along with salt and pepper. A cooling summer rink known as panna comes from mangoes. They are also used for making jellies, pies, smoothies, ice-creams, jams etc. each 100 gram of mangoes yields about 65 kilocalories of energy. They are rich in a variety of phytochemicals and nutrients. Mango pulp is a rich source of prebiotic dietary fiber, vitamin C, diverse polyphenols and provitamin A carotenoids. Mango peel is rich in chemicals that have good antioxidant properties for example provitamin A compound, beta-carotene, lutein and alpha-carotene, polyphenols such as quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid, caffeic acid, catechins, tannins, and the unique mango xanthonoid, mangiferin. The yellow colour of the fruits is due to the presence of ?-carotene. The peel also contains significant amounts of xanthonoids, mangiferin and gallic acid. Laboratory studies have indicated that mango triterpene, lupeol, is an effective inhibitor of prostrate and skin cancers. Mango is national fruit of India, Pakistan and Philippines and mango is the national tree of Bangladesh.
