Elongated yellow fruit and pink, but more round in shape, huge green and small orange-red are all representatives of different types of mangoes. However, on our shelves you rarely see such a variety. But even among those varieties that "reach us", there are very tasty ones. Today you will learn how to identify them without notching and not biting the fetus.
Types of mangoes
Mango grows in almost all southern countries - in Thailand, India, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Indonesia, China, and Cuba. You can find this tree in Africa - in Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt. They cultivate it even in Europe - on the Canary Islands, which belong to Spain. Accordingly, there are several hundred varieties of this fruit (currently there are about 300 of them, and breeding work does not stop, so soon there will be even more).
Different varieties of mangoes differ:
- color - it can be yellow, green, pink, orange, red. Often, one fruit is painted immediately in several shades;
- taste - it's hard to describe, but most mangoes taste like peach. Sometimes in the taste there are notes of needles, roses, lemon, banana, melon and pineapple;
- pulp structure. The pulp of ripe mango is similar to melted butter, but in cheap varieties it is penetrated by hard fibers;
- size. The weight of mangoes ranges from 100 to 500 g. But in most varieties, the fruits weigh 250-300 g.
Only 8-10 varieties of mango fall into Russia and other CIS countries, and not all of them can please with excellent taste characteristics. In addition, ripe fruits quickly deteriorate, so they are picked from trees and transported at the stage of technical ripeness. Often, having bought mangoes in a store, it takes several days to keep it in a bag with apples or bananas (they release substances that accelerate the ripening of other fruits).
Thai mango
The fruits grown in Thailand have a very sweet taste, although some varieties still have a slightly noticeable sourness.
Green mango
One of the classic varieties. Its authentic name is Raed, and the fruits are green even when fully ripened. Their size is average - depending on the age of the tree and growing conditions, each fruit weighs from 200 to 500 g.
Thais themselves prefer to eat these fruits for breakfast - cut them into slices and add to rice with coconut milk. Europeans act differently - take half-ripe specimens and make a salad out of them.
Yellow mango
"Double" of his green brother - has exactly the same qualities and properties. In Thai, this variety is called Nam doc Mai. It is very popular among both tourists and locals - all because of its special honey taste. Fully ripened fruits are very sweet, with soft creamy pulp.
Nam doc Mai has dark brown freckle-like spots on its peel. This is not a sign of spoilage, but sugar, which stood out during the ripening process.
When choosing a yellow mango, pay attention to its density:
- The fruit should not be too hard or soft; if it feels like a ball to the touch, it means that it is fully ripe.
- The cavities that form when pressed on the peel of such a fruit quickly “smooth out”.
Two more sure signs of ripeness:
- juice that stands out near the "tail";
- saturated yellow color of the peel (not cream and not pale yellow).
The overripe Nam doc Mai mangoes are very sugary; they are worth buying for those who like to eat sugar with a spoon. But slightly unripe is characterized by a pleasant sourness.
The peculiarity of yellow mango is also that it bears fruit twice a year, so the chances of finding it on store shelves are increasing.
Mango whale
This variety is one of the relatively new. It was bred about 50 years ago in Australia and managed to spread across all continents.
Since the peel of the fruit is dark green, sometimes yellowish or pink, such mangoes seem unripe to customers. In fact, they are one of the most delicious. Their flesh is soft, buttery, without fibers and “Christmas tree flavor”, but with notes of vanilla and peach. The peel is thinner than other varieties.
In the Russian Federation and other CIS countries, mango whale is imported mainly from Peru, therefore it is sometimes called Peruvian. Fruits imported from Brazil, Thailand, India, Costa Rica and Ecuador are also on sale.
The price of such fruits is quite high due to the method of transportation (an airplane is the only way to deliver ripe and not rotted fruits to Europe).
Sometimes mango whales are brought to us by sea on ships. In this case, the fruits are plucked at the stage of technical ripeness, when they are still quite solid and have good keeping quality. If you saw such a fruit in the store, buy it without hesitation - you can “finish it” at home and enjoy the aromatic pulp in a week.
Fruit Specialist - Summer in a Box
Inexperienced customers often confuse this variety with others that are similar in color and shape. Therefore, when choosing, you should take a closer look at the fruits - if there are small bright spots on their peel, then this is a mango kit.
An interesting fact is that the taste of one fruit in different places can be sour or sweeter. It depends on the color of the peel: where it is more green, there are fewer sugars, and the yellow and pink zones accumulate sugar more actively.
Is it true that mango and alcohol are incompatible?
If you bite vodka, cognac, wine or other alcohol-containing drinks with this fruit, there is a risk of getting an upset bowel. It is best to eat mangoes 2-3 hours after taking alcohol or the same amount of time before this event.
Why pregnant women should not eat mangoes?
There is no direct prohibition, but doctors cite the high vitamin A content in fruits. In large quantities, it can affect the intrauterine development of the child, causing various pathologies. Therefore, pregnant women should not abuse this fruit. If you eat a few pieces a day, there will be no harm.
How does mango protect against stress?
The pulp contains a lot of vitamin B, which helps the nervous system recover faster. For this reason, mangoes are recommended for anyone experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome or suffering from depression. Also, these fruits reduce the manifestation of toxicosis in pregnant women.
Does a mango diet for weight loss work?
The calorie content of this fruit is very low - in 100 g of pulp contains 65–70 calories. And thanks to the huge amount of nutrients in the body, the body receives the missing vitamins and minerals. This is not to say that mango itself contributes to fat burning, but it certainly will not let you build new fat folds on the sides.
It is impossible to distinguish mango varieties, focusing only on form or only on color. But, looking at the fruit and discovering its "special signs", it is easy to choose a tasty, juicy and sweet fruit.