Mango Some say this is the most delicious of fruits - the best way to eat a mango is leaning over the sink so that the juice can dribble down your arms and not stain your clothes!

Botanical Family A member of the Anacardiaceae family, the mango is related to The cashew tree. It is a very large evergreen tree, with dark green, pointed leaves, which are reddish when young. When in bloom, the mango tree can look quite spectacular. Mango trees are cultivated in many tropical and sub-tropical countries.   History The mango is one of the earliest known of the tropical fruits. It has been loved in India for well over 4000 years. In China it has been known since the 7th century. Portugese traders introduced it into southern Africa and South America. By the 18th century, the Spanish had taken the mango from the Phillipines to its American colonies. The mango is a vigorous cash crop, grown in Queensland, Australia, mainly around the towns of Ayr and Bowen, where many people have mango trees growing in their back gardens.   Food Value There are many delicious recipes using mangos, many of them sweet dishes, although they are used in savoury dishes and chutneys and relishes as well. Mangos are very rich in vitamin A, and also have significant amounts of vitamins B and C. Theses vitamins protect against infection, stress and environmental pollutants and promote healthy skin and good eyesight. As mangos contain 10-20 percent sugar, they are an excellent way of adding sweetness to foods.   Search our recipe database for mango.

Bibliography Bianchini, F; Corbetta, F; et al. The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables [English Translation] (New York: Crown, 1976) Jonas, S. The Fruit Cookbook (Sydney: Reed, 1985)