King of fruits, fruit of kings: mango the healer is all around
ISLAMABAD: Mango, the king of fruits, has hit the fruit stalls around the country as sweltering heat gives way to sweet and delicious mangoes to the delight of mango lovers.
A variety of mangoes like
Anwar Retol, Malda, Sindhri and Langra are presently seen decorating fruit stalls as more varieties are expected to flood the market in a fortnight or so.
Mango starts arriving in the market by late May and is available till the middle of October. It is rich in vitamins A, B, and C.
Dr Farhana Bukhari of Polyclinic told APP mango has sugar, fats, phosphorus, calcium, water, protein, fibre and iron as its ingredients. Mango increases body resistance against various diseases and removes iron deficiency.
She said Raw mango is used in making pickles which serves as an appetizer. According to Dole Nutrition Institute, run by Dole Food Company Inc., one of the largest sellers of organic fruits and vegetables,
mangoes are one of the 33 healthiest foods on the planet, she maintained.
Dr Farhana said mangoes are known to
support immunity, lower bad cholesterol and regulate homocysteine to protect the arteries,adding mangoes provide powerful antioxidants that help preserve the bodys antioxidant enzymes and prevent free radical damage.
She said free radicals are known to cause damage to cells and can lead to heart disease, cancer, premature aging and degenerative diseases.
Pectin, a soluble dietary fiber found in mangoes, lowers blood cholesterol levels and restrains galectin 3, a protein known to be a key factor in all stages of cancer progression, she maintained.
Dr Farhana said that new research suggests that mangoes can also restrain prostrate enlargement, proving to be a powerful ally in the prevention of prostrate cancer, the most commonly occurring form of cancer in men, as well as cervical cancer.
Mangoes are also loaded with vitamins and minerals.
A cup of mango provides 75 percent of your daily Vitamin C and 25 percent of your daily vitamin A requirement and a good amount of vitamin E and fiber, she went on to add.
She said that mango contains vitamin K, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, iron (useful for pregnant women and anemia patients if eaten regularly) and potassium (reduces the risk of high blood pressure and regulates muscle contraction).
Considered a high volume food, she said,mangoes provide a larger volume of food for a relatively small amount of calories (an average of 135 calories per mango) and carbohydrates. However, an average sized mango contains around 30g of natural sugar making them high in sugar content,she added.
The other uses of mangoes include treatment of acidity and poor digestion, bleeding gums, constipation, cough, fever, nausea, sea sickness, asthma, clogged pores, menstrual disorders, bacterial infections, piles, morning sickness and hair loss,she mentioned.
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