National Mango Day 2021: History, facts about 'king of fruits' and how 'manna' became 'manga'

National Mango Day is observed on 22 July every year to honour the 'king of fruits'. The day is solely dedicated to the delicious fruit that people love to eat, or at times drink especially during the summer season. Also, it can be savoured in various forms like smoothie, mousse, ice cream or pie.

Among the many fruits, mango has been one of the most widely grown fruits in tropical countries mostly in India. Despite being the ‘king of fruits’, mango is one of the most popular superfruits around the world that has many health-promoting qualities attached to it.

History of National Mango Day

There is not much information on the history of the day, but mangoes have been around for over 5,000 years that has become an embodiment of our culture. Mangoes were first grown in India around 5,000 years ago, and later got connected to Indian folklore and religious rituals.

How did the word ‘mango’ was formed?

The word ‘mango’ is taken from the Malayalam word ‘manna’. When the Portuguese arrived in Kerala in 1498 for the spice trade, they accepted the word manna as manga.

Mango seeds became difficult to transfer during that time. The tree or seed was not introduced or talked about in the Western Hemisphere until around 1700 when it was planted in Brazil. Only around 1740, the seed entered the West Indies; that's how its recognition grew.

Below are few interesting facts related to mangoes

The colour of mango skin is not always a reliable indicator of its ripeness. It is better to give a gentle squeeze to know how ripe or tasty it would be

When mangoes are packed, they come with various nutrients that are good for us. So, when it is green, mangoes have higher amounts of Vitamin C and when it ripens, the amount of Vitamin A in it keeps on increasing

- Mango is also rich in potassium, fibre and Vitamin B-6 which is a very important superfood for our body

Eating mangoes will never make you fat or put on weight. Mangoes do not have even 1 gm of fat per mango. Only, artificial drinks and food items that are mango flavoured contain fatty products.

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