Mango

Description
  The mango enjoy a unique status among the fruits, it is the most popular fruit in the tropics and is called the king of Asiatic fruit. It is regarded as a valuable item of diet and a house hold remedy. The mango is a fleshy drupe, variable in size and shape, with varying mixture of green, yellow and red colour. inside the fruit is a stony endocarp, variable in size. Mango grow on a large, erect, branch, evergreen tree. The leaves, when fully grown, are stiff , pointed and deep glossy green. These are use in ceremonial decorations. the dry twigs are use to light sacred fires. The worst type of mango are very fibrous with turpentine flavour, but the best are juicy, sweet, with very little fibre and a deliciously piquant flavour.



Origin and Distribution
   The mango is indigenous to India, it has been cultivated there for over 4000 years. in some area mango is praised as heavenly fruit. Alexander and his army men were the first European who saw mango fruit in India in 327 BC. It was probably taken to Malaya and other neighboring East Asia countries by Indians in the fifth century BC and to the east African coast by Persians about 10th century AD.
    Beside India the fruit is now widely grown in china, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Haiti, Mexico, Brazil. Numerous variety are cultivated. In India alone they are over 500 varieties, but only about 35 varieties are extensively cultivated.

Food Value
    the mango is used as food in all its stage of development. Green or unripe mango contain large amount of starch which gradually change into glucose, sucrose and maltose as the fruit begin to ripe. It disappear completely when the fruit is fully ripe.Green mango is a source of pectin which is gradually diminishes after the formation of the stone. Unripe mango is sour in taste because of the present of the oxalic, citric, malic and succinic acids