Mango Madness

This highly popular tropical fruit is prized for its juicy sweetness. Here are some surprising facts about it:

• Mangoes are related to poison ivy, poison oak, cashew nuts and pistachios.
• They originated in India and have been cultivated for more than 4000 years.
  
• The top producers of mangoes are India, China and Mexico. OTher exporters are Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, South America and some parts of Africa.
• Mangoes are loaded with beta carotene, vitamin C, soluble fibre, vitamin E and antioxidants. Half an average-sized mango has 70 calories.
• To ripen mangoes, place them in a paper bag at a cool room temperature for a few days. They ripen faster if stored together.

Extracted from CLEO Magazine January 2006 issue.