Does Mangosteen Have Any Nutritional Value?

Mangosteen is a small tropical fruit from southeast Asia. The inedible purple rind is brittle, but the interior is divided into juicy segments. Mangosteens ripen on the tree and do not store well; for this reason they are not a common sight outside of areas in which they're grown.

Nutritional Value

• Mangosteen has respectable amounts of folate, manganese, vitamin C and fiber. It also has small amounts of iron and calcium.

Canned Mangosteen

• Canned mangosteen is usually packed in syrup, increasing the caloric and sugar content even when drained.

Medicinal Use

• Mangosteen has a long history of medicinal use, particularly of its nonedible parts including the bark and leaves, for abdominal and intestinal disorders. Mangosteen juice has been marketed as a supplement, claiming vague health benefits.

Cautions

• While mangosteen may have healing properties, such as anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, there is no clinical data that conclusively proves the health benefits of mangosteen. There has also been at least one reported case of lactic acidosis resulting from daily intake of the juice over one year.

Fun Fact

• Despite the similar-sounding names, mangosteens are not part of the mango family; however, they are related to the mamey (mammee apple).