How to Cut a Mango

Mangoes are juicy and sweet, but they can also be messy fruits to eat. Peeling mangoes often results in sticky fingers and not enough flesh left to eat. Learning how to cut a mango is not only clean, but is also nutritious too. From vitamin C to potassium, mangoes are very healthy and make great additions to fruit salads.

Health Benefits of Mango

It is widely known that citrus fruits are great sources of vitamin C. However, many might not know that mangoes contain one of the highest concentrations of this vitamin. Research shows that mangoes can provide almost 100% of the vitamin C you need every day. This means that this fruit has immunity boosting and anti-aging potential. Learning how to cut a mango correctly can preserve the nutrient-rich flesh your body needs.

Mangoes are great low-calorie snacks because they only add up to 100 calories per serving. They can also be beneficial for people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses. This is because mangoes have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. They also contain folic acid, which can prevent all kinds of cancers and birth defects in unborn babies.

How to Buy the Best Mango

There are a few types of mangoes, each harvested from different parts of the world. When shopping for mangoes, color is not a sign that a mango is ripe. Tommy Atkins, Kent and Keitt mangoes naturally have red spots even when under-ripe. Kent and Keitt mangoes stay green even when ripe. The best way to tell if mangoes are good for the picking is to squeeze them gently. When mangoes are ripe, regardless of color, their skin will give in a little.

How to Cut a Mango the Right Way

To learn how to cut a mango, always use clean knives and hands. A cutting board is recommended as this fruit can ooze juices while being cut. Wash your hands thoroughly especially if you’ve touched meats.

Step 1:

Sit the mango upright and measure about an inch away from where the pit or seed might be. The mango seed is at its center, and it is broad and flat.

Step 2:

Once you’ve measured a reasonable distance away from the seed, cut off the mango’s “cheeks”. In other words, cut both sides of the mango lengthwise. You should have two, fleshy mango pieces and a little flesh left on the seed.

Step 3:

The cheeks should still have the skin on. Take one of the pieces and slice shallow straight or criss-crossing lines on the flesh. With fingers on the skin, turn the “cheek” inside out and scrape mango flesh off with a knife into a bowl. Do the same with the other piece. You can throw away the seed or eat the remaining flesh off it.

Knowing how to cut a mango is not complicated at all. Learn to cut away from the seed without leaving too much flesh on it. Once you have your mango “cheeks”, you can cut it into slices, cubes or even leave the flesh whole. Serve alone as a snack or with fruit salads, juices and smoothies.