Page 28 - Seniorstoday April 2022 Issue
P. 28
Food+
Jewels in our midst
We live in a world which is a haven of magnificent mangoes and the best
part is that they are also good for our health, writes Deepa Desa
He visits my town once a year in Coral Gables, Florida which is one of
He fills my mouth with sweetness and the largest depositories of mango plant
nectar cultures in the world.
I spend all my money on him Mangoes are native to India, so it makes
Who girl, your man? sense that India accounts for half of the
No. a mango! world mango production. However,
-Amir Khusrow other major mango producing countries
My friend’s mum, who’s no more, include China, Thailand, Mexico,
used to send me multiple varieties of Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil,
mangoes from March/ April all the way Nigeria and Egypt. The US (Florida),
till October. It was truly fascinating to contributes to 10% of the world’s
look forward to each mango variant. I’m production though they have a long and
certainly no mango enthusiast but my interesting history of mango cultivars.
interest was piqued enough for me to Mango is so loved universally, that an
notice the various aromas and colours increasingly upward trend of world
that each variety displayed. This led mango production (averaging 22
me to dive further into the assortments million metric tonnes per year!) has
of this well-loved fruit. It turns out that been observed. Mango aficionados can
there are thousands of mango cultivars now travel anywhere and at any time of
and around 283 varieties in India alone. the year, and relish in the juicy sweet
And about 400 varieties of mangoes deliciousness that the fruit offers.
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