Mango is regarded as the queen of tropical fruits. The colour of fully ripen fruit vary from yellow to orange and red, reddest on the side facing the sun. The leathery skin is waxy and smooth and it is not edible. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive slightly sweet smell.
Mango grow on a long, stringlike stem, with sometimes two or more fruits to a stem. The fruits are 2 to 9 inches long and may be kidney shaped, ovate or (rarely) round. They range in size from 8 ounces to around 24 ounces. The quality of the fruit is based on the scarcity of fiber and minimal turpentine taste.
The flesh of a fully ripe mango is very sweet, with a unique taste. The texture of the flesh varies, some have quite a soft and pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others have a firmer flesh much like that of a cantaloupe or avocado. Mangoes are very juicy, and the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat. In the center of the fruit is a single flat, oblong seed, that can be fibrous or hairless on the surface, depending on cultivar.
The mango is an excellent nutritional source, containing many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, as well as enzymes such as magneferin and lactase which aid in digestion and intestinal health. Mangoes are high in Vitamin A, and contain beta caroten and a good source of Vitamin C.