I love Mangos. I’m especially fond of Mango Salads. And I use Mangos in place of peaches or plums in some traditional dishes. But I really didn’t know that much about them until I came across an encyclopedic post at CNN.com…
A Classic Mango Salad: Make mine a double!
‘State of the Mango’ address…
As I said… I love mangos. I’ll order the mango salad whenever I see it on the menu. In my book, it’s hard – if not impossible – to make a bad mango salad!
But my fondness for the tropical fruit staple goes much further. I love mango in crumbles, pies, trifles, fruit salads and even homemade ice cream.
And mangos are sustainable. At least, there’s no alarm about them becoming extinct because of climate change. Or being pushed out of their natural habitats by other, invading species. But there was a monster typhoon that caused serious damage to the Indian Mango crop a few years ago. And they’re still fighting their way back from that disaster.
Nutrition facts
Your average mango packs 107 Calories, mainly from 24 g of sugar. It’s also a great source of vitamins A and C. And delivers 257 mg of potassium.
According to Healthline.com, “Mangoes are not only delicious, but also nutritious. As with most foods, however, moderation is key. Sweet fruits like mangoes can have a lot of sugar. But fruit sugar is different from processed sugar because it’s balanced out by fiber and a host of nutrients for the body. […] Sweet fruits like mangoes are also a great alternative to junk food and other unhealthy snacks.”
Plentiful supply
Some mangos are grown in Florida and California. But most of the mangos we get here in North America come from Mexico. The US alone imported 573,792 metric tons of fresh mango in 2022 (the last full hear for which figures are available). And that figure has been steadily increasing year over year by an average of 5 percent.
An average mango weighs about 150 g / 0.33 lb. That translates to almost 3.5 billion mangoes!
Did you know?
- There are 6 different types of mangos.
- Mangos are ‘in season‘ May through September.
- You’ll know a mango is ripe if it yields slightly when gently squeezed, and if the stem has a fruity aroma
- Store unripe mangoes at room temperature and ripe mangoes in the refrigerator.
Those and many other amazing and informative facts and tips are accessible through the fascinating website curated by Food Network Kitchen’s Layla Khoury-Hanold. You’ll find dozens of links to other mango resources and topics. And a comprehensive guide to cooking with mangos.
My take
This site is bookmarked on my computer. I’ve already been back to it a couple of time with mango questions!
If you adore mangos as much as I do, you’ll love Everything You Need To Know About Mangos!
~ Maggie J.