Unless you are lucky enough to live in a place where mangoes literally grow on trees, you are almost certainly doomed to an existence of trying to cope with underripe mangoes. (Unless you buy the frozen chunks, which frankly are pretty tasty as these things go.)
This Slate article aims to combat this problem by recommending a recipe for mango mousse, and extolling the virtues of canned mango puree. (A product that I personally have never seen, but will be keeping an eye out for the next time I stop in at the international grocery store.)
Mangoes aren't just delicious, they are also packed with nutrients (and, it must be admitted, carbs). Like all brightly-colored foods, mangoes have lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, B6, and A, folate, and copper. Their creamy flesh is excellent eaten raw in chunks, and also is a wonderful addition to smoothies.
But aside from the ripeness issue, mangoes pose another threat to some: their skins are notoriously allergenic. Many people who peel and eat their own mangoes have a reaction that varies from tingling and stinging in the lips and tongue, to a contact dermatitis rash, to all-out anaphylactic shock.
The problem is caused by oils in the skin and leaves, which is similar to the irritating oils in poison oak and poison ivy. People who are sensitive to mango skins should wear gloves if they need to slice and peel mangoes, and they should be careful about touching their eyes.
Luckily, many people who are allergic to mango skins have no problem eating mangoes which are prepped by someone else. It seems the oils of the skin don't easily transfer to the slippery mango fruit, so if you have a mild sensitivity to the skin, you can probably eat pre-cut mango chunks without problems.
Mangoes: delicious but difficult, and kind of toxic!
Image courtesy Flickr/sarolazmi
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