Monday 8 December 2014

Health Benefits of Mangosteen Fruit

Grown mainly in tropical countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, Mangosteen is a purple fruit which grows up to a size of a small apple or a peach. Although the name does suggest it, Mangosteen is not related to mangoes.

It has a hard rind that can be almost an inch thick. In the middle, it contains an opaque, white fruit that looks like garlic but it has a sharp tart and a slightly sweet taste. Although it has a hard rind, it doesn’t peel out. It opens when pressed firmly or when it is twisted until the fruit breaks and the white fruit is revealed.
Black Cherry Juice

Uses of Mangosteen
In Southeast Asia, Mangosteen Juice is consumed just as commonly as any other fruit. The hard rind has been used to make medicines for several generations. It is also believed that the rind was used to make tea which when consumed helped in dealing with bladder infections, diabetes and gonorrhoea. The rind was also used to make an ointment to treat skin rashes.

Recent studies have revealed that the rind consists of garcinone B, garcinone E, alpha mangostin and beta mangostins. These together are called xanthones. These xanthones have been found to be anti cancerous when studied in laboratories. It has been found to have other properties as well like antiseptic, antimicrobial, antifungal and anti inflammatory.

Is Mangosteen well known?
Mangosteen remained completely unknown in North America until 2002 when a marketing company from Utah introduced it. However in the tropical countries of Asia, to which this fruit is a native, it has been well known for generations and has been widely consumed in several forms.

Mangosteen is primarily considered to be a super-fruit and its medicinal properties are due to the presence of xanthone in it. However some of the other properties can also be due to a compound called tannin present in the rind. They possess astringent, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and hence are used in the treatment of skin conditions, diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome.

Tannins are also found in some other common and less expensive foods like cranberries, green tea and black tea. Although the positive effects of Mangosteen Juice is very well known not much is known about its side effects. However xanthones have been known to prevent serotonin-receptor binding. They also prevent the formation of monoamine oxidase in the body. Another study has found the same effects on serotonin as well.

Limitations of Mangosteen
Research shows that xanthones might interfere with normal clotting of blood. It is however not completely known if they interact with the medication for blood thinning. Studies also show that large doses of xanthones in animals might affect the central nervous system and also cause sedation.

Xanthones may also cause excessive sedation on combining them with other medications or herbs and when consumed in higher doses, it might be toxic. However the exact effects aren’t known since studies on humans haven’t been conducted yet. If you are considering on using Mangosteen then it is better to consult a care provider first. Self treating or delay in treating a condition may lead to some serious consequences.

1 comment:

  1. this is interesting. i recommend DeliFruts Mangosteen juice on delifreshusa.com. the taste is just perfect.

    ReplyDelete