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Last Updated on November 22, 2020 by Ed Joven
Health Benefits Mangosteen Fruit
This wonderfully fragrant, fleshy fruit is most often found in south-east Asian countries. Renowned for being a delicious fruit that is also known for its medicinal properties, the Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) is something that’s good for your taste buds and for your health.
Although best when eaten fresh as it is—don’t forget to remove that hard outer layer—mangosteen is also often freeze-dried or turned into a tea or juice so that you can still get plenty of that nutrition-packed goodness. If you’re wondering what it is precisely about the mangosteen which has made it so popular amongst those who know a lot about home remedies and practice traditional healing methods, you can easily reap from putting a bit of mangosteen into your everyday diet!
There’s a reason why it’s being touted as one of the hot new superfoods!
Here are the Health Benefits of Mangosteen Fruit:
1] Mangosteen is actually quite a powerful antioxidant.
This is one of those rare instances where the processed version is more beneficial for your health than the fresh thing—because mangosteen powder includes the vitamin-packed purple outer layer, and has been dehydrated so much of the water has been removed, there are more antioxidants by weight if you compare dried mangosteen powder to fresh mangosteen. This is widely available in many health stores—check it out!
2] Make use of that powerful purple outer layer after you’ve taken a bite of the sweet fruit.
The purple outer layer of the mangosteen has been used to brew fruit tea that ends up alleviating the symptoms of various ailments, including urinary tract infections, diarrhea and menstrual conditions.
3] You can also grind it up to make a healing ointment.
That same layer is also great for your skin because of its antibacterial properties, so you can make a salve that’s great for those suffering from rashes, eczema or psoriasis to soothe the itching and pain. This kind of ointment is also good for those who have acne.
4] Give your immune system a boost with mangosteen.
Not only are mangosteens quite delicious—there have also been several studies to see if they really have a positive effect on your body’s immune response, which has been confirmed. It’s probably because of all the vitamins and nutrients that you can find in the fruit!
5] It’s an excellent diet food as well.
Mangosteens are quite low in calories but are packed with dietary fiber to help keep your bowel movements regular, making it a good dessert and snack for those who are keen to shed a few pounds the healthy way.
6] Mangosteens have plenty of Vitamin C.
If you’re worried that you might come down with the cold going around in the classroom or office, take a bite out of a mangosteen—they’re full of Vitamin C, which is known to give your body the little boost it needs to fight diseases, especially on days when you’re fatigued.
7] Mangosteen fruits are anti-inflammatory.
Inflammation is actually responsible for a lot of the pain that flares up during our random illnesses or injuries because of the blood flow increased and trapped in particular areas—but mangosteens reduce inflammation, so feel free to keep chewing on a couple of these fruits if you’re feeling a bit hungry.
8] For those who are experiencing their monthly flow, mangosteens can help with the uncomfortable symptoms.
From the ache of sudden cramps to the intense mood swings a woman may feel when it’s her time of the month, the mangosteen fruit is known to reduce inflammation, help decrease feelings of anxiety and reduce any dizziness or nausea anyone normally experiences when they menstruate. The hot water of mangosteen tea also helps settle your stomach!
9] It is also potentially an anti-cancer food.
Because of the sheer amount of antioxidants found in the mangosteen, there’s plenty of promise right now regarding studies on this fruit’s cancer-fighting properties. Animal studies so far have been positive, so there’s another source of hope for people who want to take preventive measures and have diets rich in cancer-fighting foods
10] Mangosteens are also rich in B-complex vitamins.
B-complex vitamins are important for various reasons—whether it’s the regulation of brain functions, managing stress or even converting the food that you eat into energy for the rest of your body, their importance cannot be overemphasized.
We highly recommend this Mangosteen Juice:
Its about time to toss a couple of mangosteen fruit into your daily menu to reap the benefits of their nutrient-rich flesh.
References
- Chih-Wei Chang, Tzu-Zung Huang, Wen-Hsin Chang, Yi-Chun Tseng, Yu-Tse Wu, Mei-Chich Hsu, Acute Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) supplementation does not alleviate physical fatigue during exercise: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0132-0
- Xie, Z., Sintara, M., Chang, T., & Ou, B. (2015). Daily consumption of a mangosteen-based drink improves in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biomarkers in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Food science & nutrition, 3(4), 342-8. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.225
- Suttirak W1, Manurakchinakorn S2., In vitro antioxidant properties of mangosteen peel extract., DOI: 10.1007/s13197-012-0887-5
- Xie Z1, Sintara M1, Chang T1, Ou B1, , Functional beverage of Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) enhances plasma antioxidant capacity in healthy adults., DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.187
- Devalaraja, S., Jain, S., & Yadav, H. (2011). Exotic Fruits as Therapeutic Complements for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 44(7), 1856-1865., doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2011.04.008
Mangosteen doesn’t grow here, so I will never be able to try it. We do grow a lot of figs though, and apples too! Both are very good for you. OH, and pomegranates. Interesting fruit.
I admit I had never heard of mangosteen. But it sounds like it has great benefits & it looks pretty good, too. I’ll look for it.
Pure mangosteen are available in supplement capsules ,you can find it in Amazon.They are known to be wonder supplement.
I’ve never seen this fruit before. Lots of good properties.
i heard alot about it..
I found it very interesting to read about all the good properties of the Mangosteen fruit. I am glad to have seen its picture too.
I’ve heard of mangosteen, but I’ve never looked into it before. I didn’t even know what it looked like! It kind of reminds me of lychee fruit. I’ll have to track some down and make a point to eat some every day!