Comments on: How to Eat Mangoes

on 5/22/2009 It is NOT highly unlikely to be allergic to peaches. My husband developed an allergy to a great many tree fruits about 20 years ago. He is allergic to fresh peaches, apples, plums, nectarines, cherries, almonds, and hazelnuts. He can eat them safely if they have been cooked. I know at least a couple other people who have the same kind of allergy. Be aware!

on 8/15/2008 Are you kidding? For some unlucky idiots like myself, we are allergic to the sap that comes from the mango skin. Our lips blow up, form pustules, then those start cracking and seeping and then they harden.

The next time I eat a mango near the skin is the next time I have myself committed!

Yes, the culprit is Urushiol -- say that fast, three times - and demoms appear, or bloody mary. I think I see bloody mary manifesting on my upper lip.

Never again.

on 8/22/2007 "My mother gets a similar rash from eating peaches this way." Not the same rash that was probably caused from a toxin used to keep bugs off of the peach. Peaches contain nothing that can harm you unless your allergic (highly unlikely) however with all produce you should wash well before use, unless you grow it yourself and know what has been used on it.

on 8/22/2007 Sorry the site I got the info from was a little off, Mangoes are NOT in the same family as Ivy. They are in the same family as SUMAC. Also its not an oil. The allergin is an Oleoresin called Urushiol. Warning however Continued exposure to Urushiol can and will lead to an allergic reaction. Length and probability depend on person. and yes Once you have a reaction you will ALWAYS have a reaction.

on 8/20/2007 The mango is in the same family as poison ivy and contains urushiol, though much less than poison ivy. Some people get dermatitis from touching mango peel or sap. Persons showing an allergic reaction after handling a mango can usually enjoy the fruit if someone else first removes the skin. While the peel is typically considered inedible, recent study has shown that it yields considerable extracts that can be used in antioxidant food supplements.[4] Consuming the peel itself is generally not advised as a painful rash or swelling may appear on the lips and face. *Hence if your allergic to Urushiol, do NOT consume the skin. Although I am going to experiment on ways to protect from the irritant as the peel tastes wonderful. I just dont like the itchy bumpies that come afterward.

on 8/20/2007 Because of all the conflicting comments I thought I'd try the skin for once. *note* I am allergic to Poison Ivy and Poison Oak *second note* those that are susceptible to Ivy and oak do NOT get it from contact, it comes from inhalation. I ate most of the skin and felt fine, till a few hours later when I started to itch, I now have a nice bubbly rash on my mouth. Myth Proved. Verdict- if your susceptible to Ivy or Oak, its not a good idea to eat the skin. Anyone else, enjoy! Your all welcome for the solution to the issue.

on 2/19/2008 In the tropical regions of the world where these beautiful trees grow the entire fruit is used not only for eating but medicinally as well. The raw skins have been known to alleviate a host of aliments from colon trouble to stomach ulcers.

on 7/26/2007 Making a bold statement like Mango skins being inedible is simply ignorant, in the tropical regions of the world where these beautiful trees grow the entire fruit is used not only for eating but medicinally as well. The raw skins have been known to alleviate a host of aliments from colon trouble to stomach ulcers. Think and do your research before publishing such nonsense.

on 2/23/2007 Mango skin is NOT inedible. It is VERY edible. Some people are allergic to it. This should not stop you from trying it. I eat about three ripe mangos a week and I always eat the skin. I just chomp into the delicious fruit and enjoy all of it, Except the big seed in the middle. Do your research. People eat mango skin all over the world.

on 8/8/2006 I thoroughly enjoy eating the mango skin, though I did get a stomach ache from eating too many. I have suffered no other ill effects from consuming the skin.

on 8/8/2006 I have also gotten this rash around my mouth. I was taught the easiest way to eat a mango is to bite into the skin, and peel it off, spitting the skin out and then biting into the flesh. That way, your hands don't get sticky until the very end, when all that is left is the seed. I didn't get any sort of rash on my hands, just around my mouth. My mother gets a similar rash from eating peaches this way.

on 8/8/2006 1 Slice off the peel on the entire mango making it as thin as possible.
2 Eat excess mango on the peel and discard.
3 Get lots of paper towels and grab the mango with two hands.
4 Suck out all of the mango juice by bringing your mouth up to the mango.
5 If possible, bite into the mango.
6 Floss. Wipe up.

NOTE: best done alone or with kids!

on 8/2/2006 The skin of the mango is chuck full of vitamins! Throwing away the skin when making smoothies is throwing away all sorts of good stuff. I've been eating the skin since I was a small child, I haven't mutated!

on 7/25/2006 I have never come across anything which suggests that mango skin can contain any poison. We grow more than 40 varieties of mangoes in India, and all of them have edible skins. However, some mangoes are tastier with the skin while others are not. So I think it boils down to the variety and taste of each mango.

I have been eating mangoes with skin all my life (32 years now) and I'm still alive! I think that's proof enough to say that whatever variety of mangoes I have eaten didn't contain any poison in the skin!

on 6/30/2006 I thought I was allergic to mangoes because of the way my lips itched and swelled after eating them. I used to eat the flesh off the skin. Once I read an article regarding the skin, and since I don't eat it off the skin anymore, I can enjoy the mango without any allergic reaction.