Garden Affair: Enjoy eternal mango delight

30 Nov, 2014 - 00:11 0 Views
Garden Affair: Enjoy eternal mango delight Mango Tree

The Sunday Mail

Mango Tree

Mango Tree

The rainy season is synonymous with the ripening of mango fruits in Zimbabwe.

This is undoubtedly one of the most delicious fruit in the world, and it has been incorporated into various condiments and drinks despite its seasonal availability.

This seasonal availability has forced manufacturers to use dried preserved pulp or to artificially produce its flavour.

The mango tree originates from India hence the botanical name Mangifera indica. It is not a fruit to be just enjoyed as it also has exceptional health benefits — its antioxidants have been linked to the prevention of a number of cancers such as those of the breast, prostate and colon as well as leukemia.

Increased consumption of vitamin E has been found to improve sex drive and mangoes are good sources of vitamin E.

The other health benefits of mangoes include improved protein digestion, eye sight and clear the skin of pimples.

When it’s hot, it’s recommended to drink mango juice as it greatly helps the body to recover from heat exhaustion.

A great immune booster, as it contains great amounts of vitamin C and A, if you are diabetic and you are far away from your medication take a few leaves, boil and leave the mixture overnight.

It greatly helps normalise insulin levels in the blood.

It’s a well established fact that cholesterol causes the clogging of arteries hence resulting in heart attacks.

More good news is that mango fruit actually lowers blood cholesterol.

Mango, being rich in malic acid and tartaric acid, helps the body maintain its alkali reserve (the pH maintained by the body at 7.35 -7.45.

Most fruits help you fight weight gain, and mango is no exception, eating this fruit helps you feel fuller whilst the fibre helps your digestive system burn extra calories.

Feed mangoes to children who find it difficult to concentrate in school as the fruit is laden with glutamine acid which helps with concentration. Many women who suffer from anemia can benefit from the rich iron content of the mango fruit. So this mango season eat a mango everyday.

Now back to the business of the day.

Plant grafted mango trees for a uniform crop and shorter trees.

Mango trees prefer deep soils but the tree is very drought resistant.

Check for the depth of the soil by digging a hole one to two metres and filling it with water and waiting overnight.

If the water has drained then the soil is good.

Research in India has shown that the tree will respond well to foliar sprays of Urea as a four percent solution.

Mango trees begin to bear three to four years after planting if they have been grafted but five-six years if they have been planted from seedlings bearing as long as 40-years-old. Some chemicals can be applied to enhance bearing whilst placing bee hives in the orchard helps improve yield.

After pollination the fruit grows rapidly in some cultivars in as little as seven weeks.

After picking it is important to wipe away any latex that has oozed on to the fruit, if this is not done damage to the skin will appear in two-three days.

Some important mango cultivars are Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Sensation and kensington.

Varieties with good disease resistance are Tommy Atkins, Heidi, Sensation, Kent and Keitt in order of the best.

The major pests of mango are fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and mango weevil (Sternochetus mangiferae).

Perfect timing, as in when to begin spraying, is the most important thing in beating the fruit fly, as it lays its eggs inside the fruit which ultimately hatch causing the fruit to rot.

This can be done by monitoring with traps that will give an indication of the fly populations.

Important mango diseases are powdery mildew and anthracnose prevalent in wet weather.

For further details contact the author by email at [email protected]

Health benefits of mangos

Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits grown in the tropics. The tree is believed to be originating in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent.

Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs within the family of Anacardiaceae, a family that also includes numerous species of tropical-fruiting trees in the flowering plants such as Cashew

1. Prevents Cancer: Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.

2. Lowers Cholesterol: The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad stuff)

3. Clears the Skin: Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples.

4. Eye Health: One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.

5. Alkalises the Whole Body: The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

6. Helps in Diabetes: Mango leaves help normalise insulin levels in the blood. The traditional home remedy involves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning. Mango fruit also have a relatively low glycemic index (41-60) so moderate quantities will not spike your sugar levels.

7. Improved Sex: Mangos are a great source of vitamin E. Even though the popular connection between sex drive and vitamin E was originally created by a mistaken generalisation on rat studies, further research has shown balanced proper amounts (as from whole food) does help in this area.

8. Improves Digestion: Papayas are not the only fruit that contain enzymes for breaking down protein. There are several fruits, including mangoes, which have this healthful quality. The fibre in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.

9. Remedy for Heat Stroke: Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm to the body. — Care2.com.

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