FACTS ABOUT MANGO

• Mango is known as the 'king of fruit' throughout the world.
• Mango is a member of the cashew family of flowering plants; other species include the pistachio tree and poison ivy.
• The name 'mango' is derived from the Tamil word 'mangkay' or 'man-gay'. When the Portuguese traders settled in Western India they adopted the name as 'Manga'.
  
• Mangoes originated in East India, Burma and the Andaman Islands bordering the Bay of Bengal. Persian traders took the mango into the Middle East and Africa, from there the Portuguese brought it to Brazil and the West Indies. Mango cultivars arrived in Florida in the 1830's and in California in the 1880's.
• The Mango tree is a symbol of love.
• Mangoes are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.
• There are over 20 million metric tons of mangoes grown throughout the tropical and sub-tropical world. The leading mango producer is India, with very little export as most are consumed within the country. Mexico and China compete for second place, followed by Pakistan and Indonesia. Thailand, Nigeria, Brazil, Philippines and Haiti follow in order.
• Mangoes contain as much vitamin C as an orange.
• To choose a Mango gently squeezes the 'nose' of the fruit. If there is slight give then the mango is ripe. Color is not the best indicator of ripeness.
• A Mango stored at 55 degrees will last for up to two weeks. Do not refrigerate.
• Mangoes are some of the best sources of beta carotene; they contain 20 percent more than cantaloupe and 50 percent more than apricots.