MARVELOUS MANGO

If you have ever eaten a fully ripe, sweet and juicy mango, you will want to have it again and again. Known as the "king of fruits", ripe mangoes are succulent and sweet, with a yellow-orange or red skin. When they are soft to touch, yield to gentle pressure and emit a fruity aroma, these are indications that they are ready to eat.

The mango was also the fruit of the kings in ancient India, where rulers used to take pride in possessing large mango gardens.  All parts of the mango tree can be used – the bark, leaf, flowers, fruit and seed offer a variety of medicinal uses.  Ayurveda considers ripe mango to be sweet and heating - it balances all the three doshas (Vata, Pitta & Kapha) and acts as an energy booster.

Since ancient times, mangoes have been highly valued and widely used in Ayurvedic healing and cooking.

Mangoes are rich in antioxidants such as beta-carotene, iron, calcium, Vitamins A, B & C.  Antioxidants are known to play an important role in the prevention of cancer and heart disease. They also contain bioflavonoids, the compounds that help plants capture energy from the sun, and when eaten, they strenghten our immune system. Mangoes also supply potassium and fiber, and are low in calories.   Since the fiber is insoluble, consumption of mangoes aids the elimination of waste from the colon and helps prevent constipation.

Green, unripe mango is often used in Indian cooking. The fruit is grated and added to dhals (lentils) and vegetables, or made into chutneys and pickles. The Ayurvedic qualities of green mango are sour and astringent.  Best not to eat green mango by itself, or in large quantities, because it can aggravate the doshas, especially Pitta (fire) dosha. However, when prepared the Ayurvedic way, and combined with the right spices, they aid digestion and enhance the flavor of food.

Mangoes support all the seven dhatus (body tissues) and make for a very satisfying snack or relishable dessert, especially in hot weather. An Ayurvedic mango lassi is an extremely refreshing drink and is a great way to finish off a summer meal.  A mango milkshake cools the physiology and helps one to gain weight, while the famous mango chutney makes a delicious and spicy accompaniment to any dish. Mangoes can also be added in innovative ways to puddings, salads or fruit desserts.

Here are some medicinal uses of the mango :1. Useful in Anemia – Ripe mango pulp, taken regularly with sweetened milk, is a natural way to increase hemoglobin levels.

2. Great for the Eyes – Being rich in vitamin A, mango is a boon for the eyes.

3.Good for the Heart – A moderate intake of ripe mango strengthens the heart and relieves palpitations.

4.To treat Bee Stings – The juice that oozes out when a mango fruit is plucked from the tree, can be applied on a sting/bite to relieve pain, while rubbing the kernel on the sting can remove the toxicity.

5.Remedy for Burns – The ashes of mango leaves is a good remedy for burns.

6.Beneficial for Teeth and Gums – A preparation made from the bark of the mango tree & used as a gargle, helps provide relief from dental ailments like tooth decay, bleeding from the gums and bad breath.  Also, the seed of the mango, when dried and made into a paste, and then massaged into the teeth and gums, stops bleeding.

7.Use in Diabetes – Juice extracted from mango leaves, mixed with an equal quantity of bitter gourd juice, when taken on an empty stomach, can be quite effective in eradicating diabetes, if taken during the initial stages of the disease.

8.Beneficial for Women – The liquid from the bark of the mango tree is useful in treating ailments common to women, like leucorrhoea  and excessive/heavy bleeding. 

9.Bleeding Piles/Hemorrhoids – 1 teaspoon of dried mango seed powder, taken twice a day with lukewarm water, can help stop bleeding piles.  Paste of dried mango seed powder mixed with water, applied locally on the hemorrhoids can help to shrink inflamed piles.

Refreshing Mango lassi recipe (especially great in summer!):
1 ripe mango
½ cup yogurt
1 ½ cup water

Peel the mango, cut the flesh & place into a blender.  Add a little water, just enough to cover the mango, and puree until smooth. Add yogurt and the rest of the water and blend until smooth.

Mango Milkshake recipe (serves 2)
2 cups milk
1 mango (ensure the mango is fully ripe & sweet, as sour mango should not be mixed with milk)

Boil the milk and allow it to cool down to room temperature. Peel the mango, cut the flesh & place into a blender. Add sufficient milk to cover the mango, then puree until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and blend for about 15 seconds.

 

AMLA

Amla in Sanksrit means “without impurities” or “pure”.  The Indian gooseberry (amla) has about 20 times more Vitamin C than an orange.   Two tablespoons of fresh Amla juice, taken with one tablespoon of honey, helps boost the immune system and improve resistance to ailments, especially those relating to the heart, respiratory system & reproductive system. 

In Ayurveda, amla is known as a “Rasayana”, which means it has a rejuvenating effect on the human body. There are several formulas used in Ayurveda for making health tonics and herbal remedies, in which amla is often one of the main ingredients.  Hence amla is the main ingredient in making “chyawanprash”, a well known Ayurvedic tonic for strengthening the immune system. 

Fresh pieces of amla or dry amla powder can be used in cooking, as a substitute for tomatoes.  Even when cooked, the Vitamin C content in amla is not adversely affected.  It is beneficial whether consumed in summer or in winter, though it is more easily available in winter.

Fresh amla paste/chutney taken with honey is an excellent liver tonic, which helps speed up recovery from jaundice.  Also, amla juice (2 tablespoons) taken with ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seed powder, helps ease difficulty in urination.