What is green mango, composition and calorie content. Useful properties of unripe fruits of the mango tree, contraindications to use and probable harm. Green tropical fruit recipes.
The green mango is the unripe fruit of the mango tree native to India. Other names are manga and manga. This evergreen plant began to be cultivated more than 6,000 years ago. During this time, the area of its growth has spread to countries with a tropical and subtropical climate, where there is no frost. The fruit is considered the most popular fresh food in the world. India is the largest producer, followed by China. Many are convinced that unripe fruits should not be eaten, but in fact, there are many recipes for delicious dishes based on them. Their taste is sour with a weak aroma compared to ripe fruits. At the same time, even in the unripe pulp, coniferous woody notes and a slight smell of melon are felt. Further information on the benefits of green mango, possible harm to the body, as well as options for use in cooking.
Composition and calorie content of green mango
Pictured is a green mango
Unripe mango fruits contain less nutrients than ripe ones. However, at the same time, their nutritional value is quite high. First of all, this is a high content of vitamin C. Along with this, there are some organic acids and minerals. Thanks to its capacious composition, this tropical fruit, even in its green form, can bring significant health benefits.
The quantitative composition of the product, as well as its energy value, entirely depend on numerous factors, for example, variety, degree of maturity, growing conditions. Therefore, the data are averaged.
The calorie content of green mango is 54 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 1, 1 g;
- Fat - 0.1 g;
- Carbohydrates - 9 g;
- Sugar - 4, 85 g;
- Water - 79.8 g.
Organic acids per 100 g:
- Oxalic acid - 30 mg;
- Citric acid - 11 mg;
- Malic acid - 8 mg
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin A - 45 mcg;
- Vitamin B2 - 30 mcg;
- Ascorbic acid - 250 mg.
Minerals per 100 g:
- Calcium - 10 mg
- Phosphorus - 20 mg
- Iron - 0.4 mg
Vitamin B1, niacin, sodium, potassium are not present in unripe fruits, but these substances appear when ripe.
Pectin is also part of the green mango, but its amount is significantly reduced after the stone becomes hard.
Note! The approximate digestion time for the pulp of unripe fruits is almost three hours. This is an hour longer than a ripe mango.
Health benefits of green mango
It is believed that fruits, berries and vegetables cannot be eaten unripe. First of all, it is fraught with indigestion and stomach pain. Moreover, it is believed that green fruits are not only dangerous, but also completely useless. However, this rule does not apply to unripe mangoes. Although its composition is not as capacious as in the stage of ripeness, nevertheless, this tropical fruit still performs a nutritional function and helps to fight the lack of vitamin C and prevent some diseases.
Let's take a closer look at how green mango is useful for different organs and systems of the human body:
- Heart and blood vessels … The high content of ascorbic acid leads to strengthening of the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity.
- Hematopoietic system … With the constant consumption of tasty green mango, the formation of new blood cells is accelerated. Also, the content of iron in the blood rises by improving its absorption. Due to this, the nutrition of all body tissues is improved and oxygen starvation is excluded. The likelihood of bleeding and the development of anemia gradually decreases.
- The immune system … The product increases the body's resistance to many diseases, for example, dysentery, tuberculosis, cholera and others.
- Digestive system … Replenishment of certain vitamins, especially ascorbic acid, helps fight scurvy. By consuming the fruits raw, you can get rid of both indigestion and constipation. The fruit helps to relieve pain in dyspepsia well, as well as cleanses the gastrointestinal tract from pathogenic bacteria and increases bile secretion, improving digestion.
- Nervous system … Despite the fact that the taste of green mango is sour, the fruits still have a pleasant multifaceted aroma, which allows them to have a beneficial effect on the human nervous system.
- Endocrine system … There is also a beneficial effect on hormonal health.
- The balance of substances in the body … Unripe fruits quickly quench thirst and are also good at preventing dehydration. This happens due to the retention of sodium and iron chloride with increased sweating against the background of an increase in temperature during illness or during the hot season.
- Organs of vision … Has a relaxing effect on the mucous membrane of the eyes, relieves irritation and stress caused by sun glare.
Based on the described useful properties, green mango can be eaten by both children and women during pregnancy and lactation, as well as people of age, if the person has no obvious contraindications due to individual intolerance. In such cases, it is necessary to limit yourself to small portions and carefully monitor your well-being.
Contraindications and harm of green mango
The benefits and harms of green mango are incomparable. In general, the fruit is safe. Most often, misuse of the product or eating in large quantities can lead to undesirable consequences. As with any food, unripe fruit is useful in limited quantities. So, adults are not recommended to consume more than 2 fruits per day. For children, the portion is even smaller. The main harm that this fruit can cause is disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, manifested in the appearance of colic. Due to the high content of organic acids, irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and throat sometimes occurs.
Green Thai mango or unripe fruits of other varieties pose a significant danger to allergy sufferers. In particular, the peel can be harmful, the consumption of which in any form can lead to contact dermatitis on the lips, gums and tongue, if a person has a predisposition to this.
It is important to note that it is highly undesirable to drink cold water after eating unripe green mangoes, because chilled liquid enhances the harmful effects of organic acids, which can provoke digestive problems.
How to choose a green mango?
The fruits of the mango tree are commercially available in varying degrees of ripeness. But more often they are immature, because in this form they are easier to transport, and their shelf life is longer.
It is noteworthy that if the fruit is colored green, this does not mean that it is unripe. If you talk about how yellow mango differs from green mango, then you should understand that the answer lies not only in the level of maturity, because there are so many varieties of this plant. And the fruits when ripe can be red, orange, yellow, yellow-red, red-green, yellow-green. There are also those in which, even when ripe, the color of the peel does not change. For example, green mango from Thailand is very popular in our country. It has good consumer qualities, but it is impossible to evaluate the fruit only by its color.
Let's figure out the details, what to look for and how to choose a good quality green mango:
- The rind may be slightly wrinkled, but more often it is smooth, depending on the growing conditions and variety. There should be no damage. Brown spots indicate product deterioration.
- The edible green mango is the same size as a ripe mango. Weight is approximately 250 to 300 grams. Smaller fruits are less well formed and may taste bitter.
- The shape should be rounded. If the fruit is flat or small, then there is little pulp in it. In this regard, the quality does not depend in any way on how the green mango was stored prior to sale. Most likely it was taken from the tree too early.
- An important sign is hardness when feeling. The softer the pulp, the more ripe the fruit.
- There is practically no smell. To a greater extent, it can be appreciated only by cutting off the peel. The stalk has light coniferous notes, resinous. Despite the fact that the unripe fruit is quite sour, the presence of a sour aroma is excluded. If present, the fruit is spoiled. And the sweet smell appears and intensifies as it ripens.
- The color of the flesh is white or light green.
- The younger the fruit, the less juice it contains.
How is green mango eaten?
The unripe fruit of the mango tree is often eaten fresh, although it is sometimes cooked to soften its texture.
It is very important to consider the fact that the peel of even an unripe fruit is edible, but most often it is removed. So, before peeling a green mango, rinse it. Then, using a sharp knife or potato peeler, cut off the peel with a thin layer from the entire surface. It is almost impossible to separate from the bone by cutting in half in an unripe form. Therefore, you need to carefully cut into slices or large pieces, which can then be grated or chopped into strips with a sharp knife. In this form, the product can be added to dishes or made into a blank for long-term storage. For this purpose, the pulp can be dried.
Choosing this tropical product in the store, not many people think about whether it is possible to eat green mango, because do not know what its taste is, whether it is useful or dangerous. And some postpone the purchase, while others take in order to bring it to maturity. In industrial conditions, sealed containers and gas-cylinder ethylene are used for this. Such technologies are not available at home. Then the question arises, how to ripen a green mango at home. In fact, there is nothing complicated. The fruits must be placed in a bag with apples, which release ethylene, for several days. An important rule is that you cannot wash the fruit before the procedure.
What to do with green mango, everyone decides for himself, depending on his culinary preferences. But if the fruit is needed just unripe, then it should not be stored warm, but in the refrigerator.
Green mango recipes
In Russian cuisine, it is impossible to find options for what to cook from green mango, because dishes with this ingredient are typical of Asian countries. For example, there are a lot of recipes in Thai cuisine. There is one peculiarity: unripe fruits are perceived and used not as fruits, but as vegetables. In recipes for desserts and sugary drinks, they appear more often in the form of a dry powder for aroma and replacement of citric acid and vinegar.
The fruits are used for the preparation of various sauces, marinades, added to various recipes to give a sour taste and interesting aroma. Very often, green mango is eaten as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, as well as for seafood. Season with chili, soy sauce, vinegar or salt. For example, in the Philippines it is served with fermented salted shrimp.
In addition, whole or chopped fruits are sometimes baked or stewed separately or with meat, fruits or vegetables.
Some of the most popular green mango recipes:
- Simple salad with unripe mango and shrimp … Required ingredients: green mango (2 pcs.), Onion (2 pcs.), Garlic (2 cloves), cayenne pepper (1/2 pcs.), Lemon juice (50 ml), vegetable oil (50 ml), fresh herbs (50 g), boiled shrimps (24 pcs.), Salt and pepper. Before cooking, peel the fruits, rub the pulp on a grater. Chop the onion with a knife, and pass the garlic through a press. Remove seeds from pepper and grind into thin strips. Combine all prepared ingredients in a salad bowl, season with lemon juice and vegetable oil. Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix. We leave under a lid or cling film for 3-4 hours. Put the finished green mango salad on a plate in the center. Decorate with herbs. We spread peeled shrimps around.
- Vegetable salad with green mango and cashew nuts … Ingredients: unripe mango (3 pcs.), Onions (1 pc.), Carrots (2 pcs.), Shallots (2 pcs.), Bell pepper (1 pc.), Chili peppers (2 pcs.), fried cashews (100 g), cilantro greens (50 g), lime (1 pc.), sugar (4 tsp.), fish sauce (4 tbsp. l.), olive oil (30 ml). Chop the green mango pulp, peeled carrots, bell peppers and onions with a knife into thin strips. Chop the shallots and chili in half rings. Prepare the dressing: mix sugar, olive oil, lime juice and fish sauce. Combine the prepared ingredients with chopped herbs and nuts in a salad bowl, mix, let it brew for 1 hour. Green mango salad prepared according to this recipe can be served with fried or boiled fish.
- Vermicelli with unripe mango and broccoli … List of products: egg or rice noodles (100 g), broccoli (250 g), green onions (4 feathers), vegetable oil (30 ml), green mango (1 pc.), Cilantro (20 g), sesame oil (10 ml), chili (1 pc.), salt, pepper. The cooking process for this dish will take about 40 minutes. We start cooking by boiling noodles. When ready, rinse so that it does not stick together. Fry broccoli in hot oil for 4 minutes until it becomes soft. Then add chopped onion and continue to fry. At this time, peel the mango and cut into slices. We send the fruit along with the noodles to the pan. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, add chopped pitted chili, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame oil when ready. Put on a dish, sprinkle with herbs.
- Amba sauce … The list of ingredients is quite long, which allows you to make a sauce with a bright multifaceted taste and aroma. So, the recipe will require chili (1 pc.), Rapeseed oil (40 ml), mustard seeds (1 tablespoon), mango (5 pcs.), Lemon juice (20 ml), brown sugar (60 g), water (200 ml), ground cumin (2 tsp), fenugreek (1 tsp), ground sumac (0.5 tsp), cayenne pepper (0.5 tsp), fish sauce (2 tsp), salt. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and cut it into cubes. Heat the oil in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Pour in mustard. Gradually, the seeds will begin to crackle, at this moment we reduce the heat to a minimum, add chili and process for 1 minute. Grind the peeled mango fruit into cubes or three on a grater and, together with lemon juice, send to a saucepan. Then add sugar, a quarter of water. Warm up over low heat to soften the mango. Then we add all the flavors and take a sample after a while. Season more if necessary to achieve the perfect flavor for this green mango sauce. Remove from the stove, cool slightly and beat with an immersion blender. Add fish sauce and beat again until smooth. We put it in a jar with a lid and send it to the refrigerator. The sauce will be ready in 7-8 hours.
In any of these recipes, the variety of green mango does not play a role, because the taste characteristics in an unripe form are almost the same for all of them. To get the most out of the use of this product, it is better to choose dishes without heat treatment, which partially destroys some useful substances.
Watch the video about green mango:
