CAN YOU EAT MANGO SKIN?
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Nothing tastes better than sinking your teeth into ripe, juicy mango or preparing a fresh batch of mango salsa. The edible stone fruit with a taste that lands somewhere between melon and citrus – some even liken it to a peach – is an excellent source of vitamins.
Composed of an outer skin, pulp, and a pit, mangoes are predominantly sliced open to enjoy the fruit’s juicy pulp, while the skin and pit are discarded. But can you eat mango skin? Yes, you can eat mango skin, as it’s filled with nutrients, but whether or not you should is up for debate. Mango skin can harbor dangerous pesticides and are known to cause allergic reactions.
“It really depends how sensitive one is to mango skin,” world certified master chef Fred Tiess tells Southern Living of eating the fruit’s skin. “Consuming organic mango skin is certainly safer, for those who are not sensitive, than non-organic because of the waxy, oil layer that can make it difficult to remove pesticide residue.”
According to the National Institute of Health a compound in mango skin called urushiol can also cause mango dermatitis, which is caused by urushiol sensitization.
The NIH warns, “Prior exposure to poison ivy and poison oak, which are plants in the Anacardiacea family and contain high levels of urushiol, appear to be a risk factor for delayed hypersensitivity reactions to mango fruits.”
Meet The Experts
- Fred Tiess, is a master instructor, College of Food Innovation and Technology, Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte Campus
- Jess Bryan is a registered and licensed dietitian at No Diet Dietitian, a telehealth nutrition practice
Is It OK To Eat Mango Skin?
Mango skin contains a variety of beneficial nutrients such as dietary fibers, antioxidants, and minerals.
“However, from a practical standpoint, it's not advisable to consume it,” registered dietitian Jess Bryan tells Southern Living. “The skin can be tough to digest and has a bitter taste, not to mention it harbors compounds that may trigger allergic reactions in some individuals.”
Bryan adds that you can still get the same nutritional benefits by enjoying the flesh of the mango, instead.
“Mango flesh provides an ample supply of fibers, antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E, and minerals without the potential drawbacks,” she says.
Is Mango Skin Good For You?
Like many fruit skins, mango skins are packed with nutrients. According to Science Direct, “each part of a mango tree, such as its leaves, flowers, bark, fruit, pulp, peel, and seeds contains essential nutrients that can be utilized.”
What Does Mango Skin Taste Like?
Unlike the pleasant flavor of grape or apple skin, mango skin tastes bitter.
"The texture, depending upon the varietal, can be leathery and difficult to chew,” Tiess says. “The flavor of a ripe mango is sweet, and a green mango is very sour which is why you may find it in some Southeast Asian dishes.”
Related: Fresh And Fruity Mango Recipes
How To Prepare Mango Skin To Eat
Tiess says that because of the tough fibrous texture of mango skin, “it may be more enjoyable to consume mango skin that is fermented in the form of a beverage like a mango kombucha.”
Like all fruits and vegetables, be sure to thoroughly wash the skin to remove any pesticide residue before ingesting.
“When selecting a ripe mango, look for red to orange hues in the skin and give it a gentle squeeze, it should have a slight give,” Tiess says. “To slice it, lay it flat on a cutting board and filet off the two halves of the mango, using the pit or seed as your guide or resistance.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mango skin hard to digest?
Yes, mango skin can be tough to digest.
Does eating mango skin have side effects?
Mango skin can contain pesticides, as well as urushiol, which is known to cause mango dermatitis.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
2024-03-24T13:12:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd