It is mango time and mangoes are everywhere. Enjoy any variety unripe, ripe, fresh, as shake, pizza and yogurt topping, as ingredients in graham float and jam among other products. In mango-producing areas such as the lowlands, the fruit has, for quite some time, been so cheap to the point of being left unharvested or given free. In Baguio and La Trinidad however, it seems that the price per kilo does not go lower than P40 per kilo. Sellers say, consider transportation costs in hauling. Such price, however, is much lower with the fruit in season so take advantage of it. One or two months more and supply goes down yet price will soar to as much as P200 in public markets. The law of supply and demand as always.
Mango, also called “apple of the tropics” is the national fruit of the Philippines, along with India and Pakistan. In the country, there are at least five varieties of mango – Indian, kalabaw, piko, paho/puhutan, and apple-mango – with the first two as most common. Let me compare these two in terms of nutrient content and in their unripe state as there is no analysis available for ripe indian mango to compare with ripe kalabaw, our native variety which is so sour when unripe.
The unripe kalabaw mango is higher in energy content, protein, carbohydrates, total sugar, calcium, phosphorus, thiamine (B1) and vitamin C. Iron is slightly higher in Indian mango. Very notable however is the vitamin A particularly beta-carotene content of Indian mango (205 mg/100g edible portion) which is almost three times higher than the calcium level in the kalabaw variety (80 mg/100g edible portion).
Mango ripens as it changes to yellow color. As the fruit ripens, the vitamin A (beta-carotene) content increases to 1165 mg per 100 grams edible portion of the kalabaw variety. Total sugar, iron, riboflavin and niacin are doubly higher in the ripe mango. However, calcium and vitamin C is decreased by almost half. Other nutrients are comparable with that of the unripe mango with slight differences in energy and carbohydrates.
While a variety of fruits each day is advocated, we take chances in consuming large amounts of the seasonal fruit. Note the variable nutrient levels across varieties and in their ripe/unripe state. It is recommended that 2-3 servings of fruits be eaten each day by an adult. Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of our vitamins and minerals. That fruits by themselves do not cause diabetes shall be discussed in next issue/s.
