It is no dress or couture fashion, no shade of tomorrow, and no music band. But it protects your body against all types of ailments and even boosts your immunity. It is time now to know everything about health benefits of purple mangosteen.
What Is Purple Mangosteen?
A plant, or a pill?
The purple mangosteen plant is an evergreen tree found in the tropical areas. Scientifically, it is known as Garcinia mangostana and is cultivated in Southeast Asia, Colombia, India (yippee!), and Puerto Rico.
In terms of height, the mangosteen tree can grow between 6 to 25 m tall. It has dark brown bark and thick, leathery, dark green leaves.
The fruit of mangosteen is sweet and tangy, juicy and fibrous something like the flesh of citrus fruits. The rind is reddish-purple in colour and inedible when ripe.
And the taste?
Don’t worry, mangosteen has a fruit-like taste. The medicinal taste is an add-on value, which has been scientifically proven over the past 3 decades.
Nutritional Value Of Purple Mangosteen:
Rich in water, energy, protein, fibre, and carbs, purple mangosteen is packed with essential nutrients – like sodium, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and manganese. It also has vitamin A, C, B6 and B12 for overall health. Other vitamins include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, folic acid, carotene, and cryptoxanthin.
Let me not forget the xanthones found in the rind of this fruit. The xanthones protect the mangosteen tree from insect, plant virus and fungi infestation, as also animal predation.
Health Benefits Of Purple Mangosteen:
If you go by folktales, the rind of mangosteen was used to prepare a special tea to cure different ailments like gonorrhea, diarrhea and bladder infections.
Goes to show that mangosteen is not just the queen of fruits, it is packed with wholesome health. Read how.
1. Anti-cancerous Properties:
The pericarps of mangosteen contain xanthones, which inhibit the colon cancer in humans. They can be consumed in combination with anti-cancer drugs for beneficial effects.
2. Anti-inflammatory Properties:
For many years in South-east Asian countries, purple mangosteen has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Mangosteen extracts have anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties that make them inhibit the release of histamine and prostaglandin (associated with inflammation in the body).
3. Anti-oxidant Properties:
Mangosteen has powerful antioxidants in the form of xanthones which have various properties of medicinal value.
4. Skin care:
Purple Mangosteen has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal properties, which help in reducing the risk of skin inflammation, ageing of skin, allergies, bacterial infections and eczema.
5. Immunity-Booster:
Thanks to minerals, nutrients, vitamins, and xanthone present in it, purple mangosteen helps in boosting the immune system by protecting the body from ailments that weaken the immune system.
6. Fastens Healing:
Thanks to its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, purple mangosteen is quick in the healing process. The bark and the leaves of the mangosteen tree when mixed with other medicinal herbs and applied on the wounds, speeds up healing.
7. Cures Dysentery and Diarrhoea:
The pericarp and peel of purple mangosteen are effective in providing relief from pesky stomach disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery.
8. Tackles Menstrual problems:
The root of mangosteen helps in regulating the menstrual cycle in women. It also eases the pre-menstrual symptoms.
9. Weight loss:
Curious to know about the connection between purple mangosteen and weight loss? The nutrients found in mangosteen work towards reducing flab. Since it is a low-calorie fruit, it boosts the metabolism. This means it gets you leaner and healthier body, and increased energy. Also, the high-fiber content in it along with the B-complex vitamins aid in maintaining a healthy weight.
10. Safeguards Heart Health:
Purple mangosteen is helpful in reducing the risk of heart strokes.
11. Treat Acne, Minor Cuts and Other Skin Conditions:
The mangosteen pulp stops the bleeding and acts like an antiseptic when applied topically to minor cuts.
12. Anti-histamine Properties:
The mangosteen fruit helps people suffering from allergies. This happens due to the ability of the fruit to reduce inflammation.
The final analysis goes like this –
Purple mangosteen treats diarrhea, urinary tract infections (UTIs), gonorrhea, thrush, TB, menstrual disorders, cancer, osteoarthritis, and dysentery (an intestinal infection). Mangosteen is also helpful in stimulating the immune system and improving mental health.
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The health factor addressed, let us now find out how purple mangosteen can be savoured.
How to Eat Purple Mangosteen:
Eager to know purple mangosteen how to eat?
Take it as a dessert. Or else as a purple mangosteen drink in the form of juice extracted from the flesh of mangosteen (known as a health drink “Xango juice”).
When in fully ripe stage, and freshly picked, the mangosteen fruit opens up easily by a gentle squeeze exposing the white edible insides.
The taste of purple mangosteen can be compared to lychee fruit, though mangosteen is sweeter than lychee. And yes, it melts like an ice cream in the mouth.
Availability of Purple Mangosteen:
Talk of where to buy purple mangosteen and it is hard to lay hands upon this exotic fruit. This explains why Mangosteen is one of the top rarest fruits in the world. It is obvious that this fruit is given a crowning place on the menu in South-east Asian countries.
If you are residing in US or Europe, it is unlikely to complete your purchase of purple mangosteen in local superstores.
Since it is very delicate, mangosteen does not have a long shelf life. The best way to shop for it is online at Amazon.
Side Effects of Purple Mangosteen:
A rare fruit having side effects? Doesn’t sound right, what say?
Well, purple mangosteen side effects cannot be ruled out or ignored.
Some of them include allergic reactions, constipation and loose stools. Diabetics should stay away from it and so should patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Dosage of Purple Mangosteen:
On the purple mangosteen dosage front, the typical dose is 500 mg (orally) twice a day of purple mangosteen powder. In the form of beverage, the dosage value is 30 mL per day.
When the issue is purple mangosteen breastfeeding. Pregnant and lactating mothers should preferably avoid it, although information is lacking on the subject.
How did you find the health benefits of purple mangosteen? It is nature as always – loving, caring, and healing. Do tell us how you found this post in the comments below.