Mangosteen

What Is Mangosteen?

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia with a thick, dark purple-brown skin. It is also known as the "queen of fruits." Inside the skin is a white, juicy flesh divided into segments resembling tangerine wedges.

This flesh has a sweet, slightly tart taste with an aroma between peach and pineapple. Some of the segments may contain small, inedible seeds.

Nutritional Value of Mangosteen

No official USDA data has been published for fresh mangosteen; canned in syrup, 100 grams contains about 73 kcal of energy and 17.9 g of carbohydrate. It carries small amounts of folate and vitamin C.

What Are the Benefits of Mangosteen?

Various studies are ongoing regarding certain compounds in mangosteen rind; however, these studies have not yet translated into a general health recommendation. The fruit's flesh itself is a sweet option that can be considered part of a balanced diet.

This information is general; mangosteen is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment. Supplements containing rind extract are not a substitute for medical treatment and a specialist should be consulted before use.

How Do You Choose Mangosteen?

Fresh mangosteen is a fruit that shows some give when lightly squeezed by hand, with a glossy dark purple skin.

• The skin should be able to yield slightly to light pressure; a rock-hard skin indicates a dried-out, stale fruit.
• The color should be a smooth dark purple-brown, with no mold or soft spots.
• The number of leaf-like protrusions (the calyx) at the bottom usually matches the number of inner segments.

How Do You Store Mangosteen?

Mangosteen can be stored in the refrigerator for 1–2 weeks. As the skin hardens and dries over time, the freshness of the inner flesh also decreases, so it is best consumed as soon as possible.

Using Mangosteen in Cooking

Mangosteen is most often eaten fresh, raw, with its skin cracked open by hand. It is added to fruit salads, smoothies, and some Southeast Asian desserts.

How Do You Open Mangosteen?

The skin is lightly scored around the middle with a knife or cracked open by hand squeezing; when the top half is removed, the white flesh resembling tangerine wedges is revealed.

How Do You Make Mangosteen Smoothie?

The white segments separated from the skin are blended with banana and a little milk or plant-based milk to make a sweet, tropical smoothie.

Which Recipes Use Mangosteen?

Mangosteen is used in tropical fruit salad, smoothies, and some Southeast Asian desserts. It is also favored as a garnish for ice cream and sorbet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is mangosteen eaten?

The thick purple skin is separated in the middle by hand or with a knife, and the white segments inside are eaten directly, raw. The small seeds between the segments are generally not swallowed and are set aside.

Is mangosteen skin edible?

No, mangosteen's purple skin is quite firm and bitter, and is not consumed. Only the white flesh inside is eaten.

What does mangosteen taste like?

It has a sweet, slightly tart balance; it is said to carry an aroma between peach, pineapple, and grape. Its texture is soft and juicy, close to lychee.

Where does mangosteen grow?

Mangosteen is grown in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. In Turkey it is sold as an imported fresh fruit.

How is mangosteen stored?

It can be stored in the refrigerator for 1–2 weeks. Hardening of the skin is a sign the fruit is beginning to go stale, so it is best consumed shortly after being bought fresh.