How to Eat a Mango

Mangoes are a fantastic source of Vitamin C and E, as well as niacin, iron, potassium and beta carotene (which once the body processes it turns into Vitamin A.) Still considered exotic fruit to many Americans, mangoes have not grown in popularity due to their bad reputation as hard to eat. But truthfully, with a little work, you will be well rewarded. Here are tips on how to eat a mango!

Things You'll Need

• 1 Pairing Knife
• 1 Serrated Knife

Instructions

1. Select your mango. There are some guidelines to tell if a mango is ripe and ready to eat. The first thing to look for is color. Mangoes are shipped when they aren't quite ripe. So when picking through them at the grocery store, look for a yellowish orange skin you, or even a orangish red color. Next press your finger against the skin of the fruit. It should be slightly soft to the touch. Much like an avocado, if it is hard, it is not ready to eat. Once you find a mango that meets these criteria, select it, as they are ready!

2. Wash the fruit. It's always a good idea to wash the fruit prior to consumption. Even though you will not really be eating the skin, bacteria and other matter can be transferred to your hands. Pat the mango dry with a paper towel.

3. Slice the fruit. Using a serrated knife, slice vertically down the fruit on either side of the pit. (Mangoes can be quite sticky, hopefully this manner of cutting will avoid some of the mess.)

4. Utilize a pairing knife. Then using a pairing knife, slice the meat of the mango away from the skin and dice into edible portions, or however you desire to eat it. Congratulations, you have just learned how to eat a mango!

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't find a ripe mango, take home the closest thing you can find, place it in a paper bag for a few days and store it in a cool dark place. It should then be ready to eat!

Resources

• A great site for everything mango!
• Search Mangoes on the main page and a fantastic article on how to eat them will appear!