Mangosteen Facts
What is a mangosteen?
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is known as the “Queen of Fruits.” It is different than a mango. Its origin is in Southeast Asia, probably the Malay Archipelago. It can now be found in a number of tropical climates. Mangosteen is one of the most widely recognized tropical fruits and has universal appeal because of its quality in color, shape and flavor. Demand often exceeds supply. The mangosteen tree is a small, slow growing tropical evergreen with leathery, glabrous leaves up to 10 inches long. Fruits are borne on lateral branches. The fruit is 2-3 in (cm) in diameter. The outer skin is about 8mm thick and rich in tannic acid which increases the fruit relatively insect resistant. A thick reddish-purple rind covers the aril or pulp which is segmented like that of an orange. The white, moist, soft and juicy flesh is sweet and aromatic, has a high sugar content, but is low in vitamins and minerals. To eat it, you can crush the brittle yet moist rind with your palms to reveal the pure-white delicacy inside. You are generally well advised not to cut the rind as the rind will produce a purplish fluid that stains that which it touches and it is difficult to remove the stain. The bitter rind is inedible, and the fruit comes in the form of variously sized wedged segments, the largest of which may hold a solitary seed. The number of segments usually varies from 4 to 8 which is matched by the number of points on the protrusion from the underside of the fruit; therefore, you can discover how many segments you are in for before you open the mangosteen. It is usually eaten fresh, but can be stored successfully for short periods of time. It is also canned, frozen, or made into juice, preserves, and syrup. Mangosteen is also used as a pharmaceutical (Kanchanapoom and Kanchanapoom, 1998; Martin, 1980; Nakasone and Paull, 1998). Often two crops per year mature, one in the autumn, and one in early summer. It is unknown in the wild state and is found only as a cultivated female tree (male trees appear nonexistent). Vemma liquefies select mangosteen constituents purchased by it, including the rind, to produce the product which you purchase.
The flavor is really not like anything else you may have tasted, so do not take comparisons too literally. The mangosteen has flavors that range from strawberry, peach, vanilla ice cream - it is definitely sweet tempered with a very slight sourness. The flavor is divine and wonderfully delicate. Many have described the fruit as being the best tasting in the world - quite a compliment!
The mangosteen fruit is somewhat unique in terms of the fact that it is a source of a large number of naturally occurring chemicals called xanthones. The scientific literature documents the presence of over 40 xanthones in mangosteen, some of which are recognized as strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. The primary xanthones which have been the subject of scientific literature are alpha-mangostin, gamma-mangostin, mangostin, garcinone E, beta-mangostin, BR-xanthone B, BR-xanthone A, garcinone, garcinone B, garcinone C, garcinone D, gartanin, maclurin, mangostanol. By far, most of the research has focused on alpha-mangostin, gamma-mangostin and beta-mangostin and current source of much of the literature on the properties and effects of these mangosteen-derived compounds comes from the Pacific Rim area.
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