The perfect way to beat the heat wave is to splurge on some raw mangoes! Yes. As we still await our favourite juicy alphonsos, the market surely has abundant raw mangoes that can be used in many ways to overcome the excess heat.
The general belief is that only ripened mangoes are nutritious and palatable and unripe fruits are commonly used for making pickles and sauces. The fact, however, is that unripe mangoes are the best source of vitamin C.
A recent study shows that an unripe mango of Langra variety yields as much vitamin C as 35 apples or 18 bananas or nine lemons or three oranges.
| Mango | Amount (100g) |
| Calories (kcal) | 65 |
| Proteins (g) | 0.5 |
| Fats (g) | 0.3 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 17 |
| Sugars (g) | 14.8 |
| Dietary fiber (g) | 1.8 |
| Vitamin A (IU) | 765 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 28 |
| Calcium (mg) | 10 |
| Potassium (mg) | 156 |
In India, green mango is used as a medicine for various gastrointestinal, bilious and blood disorders.
Gastrointestinal disorders: Eating one or two tender mangoes, in which the seed is not fully formed, along with salt and honey is a very effective medicine for diarrhoea, dysentery, piles, morning sickness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion, constipation, etc.
Bilious disorders: The acids in the green mango increase the secretion of bile and act as an intestinal antiseptic. Therefore, eating green mango daily with honey and pepper cures biliousness, urticaria, jaundice etc and purifies blood. It tones up the liver too and keeps it healthy. In off season, sun-dried slices of green mango (amchur) can be used as the substitute for fresh mango.
Blood disorders: The curative value is attributed to its vitamin C content. It increases the elasticity of the blood vessels, helps formation of new blood cells, aids absorption of iron, prevents bleeding tendencies and cures scurvy. Eating an unripe mango daily during the summer season prevents one from infections, increases body resistance against tuberculosis, cholera, dysentery, anaemia etc. It tones up the heart, nerves and cures palpitation of the heart, nervous tension, insomnia and weakness of the memory.
How Raw mango helps in taming the heat wave :
- Eating a fresh green mango baked in hot ash daily once or twice is a sure preventive remedy for sun-stroke.
- Eating raw mango with salt quenches thirst and prevents loss of sodium chloride and iron during summer due to excessive sweating.It tones up the body and helps one to tolerate the excessive heat.
- Peeled fruit is applied on the eye to cure burning hot sensation due to sun glare.
Cooked mango with tender leaves of tamarind is prescribed as a medicine to cure jaundice, biliousness, piles and burning sensation in the rectum.
However, eating unripe mango in excess causes throat irritation, indigestion, dysentery and abdominal colic.
Therefore, not more than one mango should be consumed daily and cold water should never be consumed immediately after eating the green fruit, because it coagulates the sap and makes it more irritant.
There are many ways to enjoy the raw mangoes, some like with salt & pepper while others like it plain. Let us know how do you like them!
#Thinkhealth blog 