ORGME: Mangosteen, the booster range

Mangosteen is one of our great local fruits, also known as the Queen of Fruits.  Its scientific name is Garcinia mangostanaWith the exception of the stem and seed, the whole fruit provides us with many wondrous health benefits naturally.  Personally, it is a fruit that tops my list.  Unfortunately, it is seasonal.  So when it is the season, I tend to stock up on the fruit and process it so I can have a longer supply.  Living in the land where this fruit can be grown naturally and organically, it is an opportunity that I like to maximise.

It is important to select good quality fruits that is at its prime when all the beneficial nutrients are at the maximum.  Mangosteen is low in calories and is a good source of vitamin C  and dietary fiber as well as providing a good amount of Vitamin B and minerals such as Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous and Zinc.  It also contains Carotene-a, Carotene-ß and Cryptoxanthin-ß (Source: USDA National Nutrient Database).

It also contains Xanthone, a class of naturally occurring polyphenol compound.  The fruit contains two types of zanthones - alpha mangosteen and gamma mangosteen - which have been shown to have several benefits including anti-inflammatory.  These antioxidants have healing properties which heals cells damaged by free radicals, slow down raging and prevent degenerative diseases and physical and mental deterioration - what we Malays say as "awet muda".  The xanthones also helps to burn fat to prevent weight gain.

The high content in Vitamin C makes it a good natural source of this vitamin which provides for improved immune system and defence against free radicals.  An important nutrient in cell development is Folate, which is found in mangosteen.

Amongst the properties of the fruit are:

1. anti-inflammatory
2. anti-fungal
3. antioxidants
4. antibacterial

Mangosteen are being used in various cancer studies with the key element of Xanthones (source: National Centre of Biotechnological Information- NCBI).  Among the studies being conducted is the use of mangosteen as a "chemopreventive" in the treatment of cancer, arresting tumor growth as well as a preventive and curative treatment for cancer.

In summary, the mangosteen provides healthy benefits:

1. Strengthens the immune system
2. Fights free radicals
3. Good for the brain helping to fight against mental deterioration and degenerative diseases
4. Helps to fight against cancer
5. Helps the fight against cardio-vascular diseases
6. Reduces cholesterol
7. Helps in weight control

With all these benefits, that is why I have chosen it to be one of range of our healthy but delicious drinks, without preservative, additives or colouring, with the following selection:

1. Mangosteen Tea (unsweetened)
2. Mangosteen Tea (sweetened with pure cane sugar)
3. Mangosteen Nectar (which has a higher dietary fiber content with the inclusion of the fruit flesh)
4. Mangosteen Concentrate which can be diluted to make other drinks either hot or cold.

These drinks are designed for normal consumption, as part of the daily food intake, an alternative to the normal drinks like juices and carbonated drinks.  Personally, I drink it almost everyday and make it a part of my normal diet.  Like anybody else, I will be more inclined to drink it if it tastes good so taste is also an important criteria.  No-one wants to feel like they are drinking medicine or else it will not be easy to incorporate into our daily beverage intake.  For my son, I like to add 1 teaspoon of the concentrate in his drinks to make it "drinkable" for him.

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EAT TO LOVE LIFE