Mangifera indica, commonly known as mango, is an edible, sweet, juicy fruit which originated from Bangladesh, northeastern India, and northwestern Myanmar.Mangoes need warmer subtropical and frost-free tropical climates for cultivation. The constituents of the mango include 15% carbohydrate, 1% protein, 84% water, 44% vitamin C, 11% folate, and a negligible amount of fat.Indians call mango their national fruit, however, the word ‘mango’ is derived from ‘manga’, a Portuguese word. These fruits feel smooth, leather-like, fragrant, and waxy, with colors ranging from yellow-orange, yellow-red, shades of pink, and green. The color varieties of a mango are due to carotenoids, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and polyphenols. Mango trees can grow up to 98–131 ft (30–40 m) tall. Recalcitrant seeds are present in mangoes that can’t stand drying and freezing. There are many different varieties of mono-embryonic mangoes out of which Alphonso is considered as the king of mangoes.If you enjoyed this article, why not take a look at how do you know when a pineapple is ripe and how do you know when a watermelon is ripe here at Kidadl!How do you know when a mango is ripe to eat?Mangoes are a sweet, delicious, tropical, fresh food that can be eaten in different forms such as peeled, cut with a knife and made into juice, eaten plain, as well as added to some recipes of desserts, cakes, and drinks.Mangoes are sometimes harvested while they are still unripe, in their native regions. They ripen while in the shop or when being transported. Some species of mangoes, like mangroves, ripen on their way for sale, after plucking.Mangoes exude an irresistibly sweet aroma which is an indication of their ripeness. The typical indicator of perfect ripening is the intense fruity scent or smell of mangoes. Mangoes become fragrant and sap oozes out without prodding when they are ready to taste. If a mango is filling the room with a scent and also sapping, it is ready to eat, regardless of texture or color. The aroma of an unripe mango is quite neutral, whereas the aroma of an overripe mango is sour and fermented.A mango is soft and solid when it is mature enough to eat. A little dent emerges on a mango from a slight press using your fingertips or the ball of your hand. Before eating a hard fruit, let it sit for a bit. Visual appearance can also tell if a mango is ripe. The mango should have solid flesh surrounding the stem and the stalk should extend outwards. This indicates that the flesh is completely matured and juicy. Because ripe mangos have a brighter hue, it is impossible to tell whether they are ready to eat, just by looking at them. This might range from green to a deep crimson to orange depending on the mango type. A mango does not need to be completely orange, but it should have a lot of orange, red, or yellow specks on it.How do you know when a honey mango is ripe?The honey mango, also known as Ataulfo mango, has a rich sweet flavor and originates from Mexico.They possess a sigmoid shape along with slightly gold blushed skin. Honey mangoes require a warm, moist climate with summer rains, with monsoon temperatures up to 82.4 F (28 C). The softness when you squeeze them lightly, and their sweet, fragrant smell from the stalk end of the fruit contribute to the ripeness of the mango.How do you know when a mango is ripe to pick?Mangoes are available all year round. Mango fruits are generally harvested depending upon the cultivation and the climatic changes. Mangoes are harvested between May and August. After harvesting, mangos take around 120-140 days to become mature.The shoulders or the sides of a ripe mango fruit become raised which is a sign of maturity. The sides and the stalk get partly attached and become sunken. The color change of mango is another way to tell if a mango is ripe to pick or not. The dark greenish color changes from pale green to yellowish. Some mango varieties show a clear white layer on their skin as a result of ripening.The shape of mangoes is also considered before plucking. A football or round shape is generally preferred instead of flattened shapes. Around the stem, the flesh and skin should be plump and spherical. The stem end is fairly flat before the ripening of the mango. This is because the inside components like the juice, pulp, and sugar have not yet properly developed. Once mangoes ripen, the stem end rises slightly and becomes fluffy.The amount of sun exposure of a mango is measured by a red hue. The appearance of speckles or brown spots is not a sure indication of the ripeness of mangoes. This depends on the mango variety as those lacking speckles may still be ripe. Before plucking, the weight of the ripe mango is judged. Ripe fruit is somewhat heavier than an unripe mango.If mangoes are unripe, then there are certain steps of how to ripen a mango. Mangoes are placed in a sealed paper bag which will help speed up the ripening process. Ethylene gas is naturally produced by fruits that are trapped by the brown paper bag for ripening mangoes. Placing an ethylene-producing fruit like apple or banana along with mangoes in the bag can speed up the process even further.Keeping mangoes out at room temperature for two to seven days can also ripen them. Once the desired ripeness has been achieved, ripe mangoes must be cut and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. Cut mango pieces inside a container can be left for up to six months in the freezer. The cold temperature helps to preserve and store ripe mangoes and keep them fresh for some days, but a ripe mango left at room temperature can go bad within the day.Wrap newspaper or use towel cove around mangoes to accelerate the ripening process.How do you know when a mango is too ripe?Mangoes possess a limited shelf life and are considered perishable fruits. Throat irritation, dysentery, and abdominal colic can be caused by eating too much unripe mango. A completely green, firm mango may a long time at room temperature to ripen instead of a soft one with yellow tints. Overripe fruits produce moldy patches.To check for whether a fruit is overripe, a soft texture can be an indication. Light pressure is to be applied straight at the top near the stem. The mango is thought to be too ripe if a light press or squeeze pierces the fruit. The wrinkles on the skin can go deeper covering the major portion. Black spots developing deep down the skin, along with liquid oozing out, can tell you that the mango is too ripe and has gone bad. The clear sign to tell if a mango is too ripe is from a sour or somewhat bitter aroma or smell.The high sugar content allows fermentation making the mango extreme overripe giving a bad scent as well as taste. The color cannot be considered as the only sign of a fruit being overripe and is only considered a backup indicator.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for How do you know when a mango is ripe? Tips to pick a ripe mango, then why not take a look at Have you ever wondered how is leather made? Tanning facts to know or, Do all animals reproduce? Explore unique facts about asexual animals.
Mangifera indica, commonly known as mango, is an edible, sweet, juicy fruit which originated from Bangladesh, northeastern India, and northwestern Myanmar.
