Food & Receipts

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Mango on the First of the Month: Hard or Soft? The Growers Spill the Beans.

Mangoes are plentiful, but without the right knowledge, you might end up with a less-than-satisfactory experience. Choosing the perfect mango can be a tricky endeavor, and many often end up with fruit that is less than ideal, or even spoiled.

Administrator

18 September, 2024

Mangoes are a popular fruit, but not all of them are sweet and tasty. If you don’t know how to choose wisely, you might end up with sour, unripe, or even spoiled fruits. So, when buying mangoes, keep these four things in mind to ensure you select the best ones.

1. Check the Color

When choosing a mango to eat or for religious offerings, pay attention to its color. Typically, you’ll see mangoes of the same variety displaying different shades of green and yellow. This is because mangoes are tropical fruits that need to be picked and transported before they are fully ripe. If they were allowed to ripen completely, they would quickly bruise and spoil during transportation to different places.

So, if you observe a mango with more green hues, it’s likely unripe. On the other hand, a mango with a dull yellow color has probably been sitting for too long and is best avoided. Ripe mangoes have a bright yellow color, with a shiny and smooth skin. Especially when choosing mangoes for religious offerings, opt for those with this vibrant yellow color as they look the most appealing.

2. Examine the Skin

Fresh, ripe mangoes will usually have a few small black spots on their skin, which doesn’t affect the quality of the flesh inside. However, if you see a mango with many black spots and a rough texture, it’s best to avoid it. Such mangoes may have degraded flesh due to prolonged storage.

If you’re buying mangoes for religious offerings, go for the ones with bright yellow skin and no black spots as they look the most attractive.

3. Smell the Mango

When selecting mangoes, use your sense of smell. A good mango will have a strong, sweet fragrance, with a hint of gentle sweetness. On the other hand, unripe mangoes or those ripened with artificial chemicals will have little to no smell or may even have an odd odor. Spoiled mangoes will definitely emit an unpleasant smell, so avoid those.

4. Test for Bounce

When choosing a mango, first feel it with your hand to check for firmness. Neither too hard nor too soft is ideal. These indicate unripe and overripe mangoes, respectively. To enjoy the sweetest and most nutritious mango, or if you’re buying for religious offerings, opt for mangoes that are slightly soft and ripe. With these, you won’t have to wait a few days after the offering to enjoy the perfect taste.

Frequently asked questions

Selecting a mango can be tricky, but there are some key indicators to look out for. Firstly, color is not a reliable indicator of ripeness. Instead, focus on the feel of the mango; a ripe mango will have a slight give when gently squeezed, indicating a soft and juicy fruit inside. Secondly, smell the stem end of the mango; a ripe mango will have a fragrant, sweet aroma. Lastly, the mango variety can also provide clues; for example, the Tommy Atkins variety is usually redder when ripe, while the Kent variety tends to stay green even when ripe.

One mistake is relying solely on color to determine ripeness, as mentioned earlier. Another mistake is avoiding mangoes with a few bruises or marks, as these are usually still fine to eat and may even be sweeter due to a higher sugar content. Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask for a taste test or a sample if you’re unsure, especially at a farmer’s market or specialty store.

To store unripe mangoes, keep them at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. They will continue to ripen and should be ready to eat in a few days. Once ripe, mangoes can be moved to the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process and prolong their freshness. Ripe mangoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Mangoes are incredibly versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Besides eating them fresh, you can add mango to salsas, salads, smoothies, and yogurt. They also work well in chutneys, relishes, and marinades for grilled meats. For a sweet treat, try mango lassi, mango sorbet, or simply blend frozen mango chunks into a creamy mango ice cream.

Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, as well as fiber. They also contain antioxidants, including mangiferin, which has been linked to potential health benefits such as improved immune function, healthier skin, and better blood sugar control. Including mangoes as part of a balanced diet can contribute to overall health and well-being.