Exotic Queen of Superfruit: Mangosteen

Packed with antioxidants, xanthone, and flavonoids!
Anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer
Great source of dietary fibre
Succulent, juicy and heavenly
Suffering from stress, dry skin, acne, or eczema?

Introducing… Exotic Queen of Superfruit: Mangosteen

I love mangosteens and have to write a brief post on the fruit given its benefits, amazing taste and “exotic” appeal.

These purple fruits, with creamy white interior like tangerines, are my favorites in Asian summers. Mangosteens are tropical fruit grown mainly in Southeast Asia, and have been introduced to South American countries. You can usually find mangosteens in local street markets and supermarkets in Hong Kong, and Asian markets outside of Asia.

Mangosteens are red-purple and hard outside, while white and soft inside. You need to cut the exterior with a knife before you can access the meat, which is somewhat sweet, tangy, succulent and addictive! I prefer the taste and texture of mangosteen to dragonfruit because the former is softer, “more chewy”, sweeter and tastier than the latter. I feel that dragonfruit’s taste is a bit too subtle, and the texture is too mellow for me.

Why Mangosteen is Good For You

Xanthone: Mangosteen contains powerful phytonutrient called xanthone, which is a polyphenol found in plants like olives. Xanthone can fight free radical and prevent cell damage and is probably stronger than vitamins C and E. According to a research from US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, “xanthones exhibited a variety of biological activities containing anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer effects.” According to the chart entitled Top Antioxidant Foods from Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood by Gary Young, 100 grams of mangosteen contains around 2o,ooo TE of ORAC. The ORAC test is a method measuring the ability of antioxidants in a certain substance to absorb free radicals. The higher the ORAC score, the better the food is for the body

Flavanoids: Mangosteen also contains flavanoids including rutin and hesperidin which helps antioxidant activity

Fibre: Mangosteen is also high in fibre. One serving of mangosteen provides the body with 5.1 g of dietary fiber, which helps regulate bowel movement

“Cooling” Properties: In Chinese medicine, mangosteen is believed to be the “coolest” fruit of all, which is why the fruit is called the queen of all fruits. The fruit can counteract effects caused by “hot” diseases such as acne, skin sores, eczema, dry skin, urinary tract infections (UTIs), gonorrhea, thrush, tuberculosis, etc. Chinese medicine also advise people against combining cooling foods together. For instance, you may not want to eat mangosteen with watermelon or/and bitter gourd.

What about mangosteen rind?

Most of us don’t eat mangosteen rind, though they are believed to have great benefits to our bodies because:

Tannin: Mangosteen rind contains tannin which helps with acne, skin wounds and inflammation

Anti-diarrea: Mangosteen rind can prevent diarrhea

Preparation

Since the fruit tastes delicious unprocessed, you can just eat it raw without any added sugars! Just cut the rind with a knife and enjoy the meat inside! The rind tastes bitter, so one of the best ways to eat it is to blend it with “warming” fruits and vegetables such as lychee, coconut milk, mango, peach, cayenne pepper and make a smoothie!

Fun Recipe!

I made a slight change to this recipe and used mangosteen instead of mangos. The dessert tastes heavenly! Add a little bit of coconut milk and you’re balancing the “cooling” effect from this fruit!

Also try out our Exotic Skin Rejuvenating Fusion Salad!