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Mango
Mangifera indica, MANG GUO
The mango, mang guo (mang fruit) is also called mang guo (written with a
different character and meaning beard fruit). It is an evergreen tree
growing to a height of 5-10 meters. The fruit is a flattened egg shaped,
80-150mm long and 50-90mm in diameter.
The immature fruit is dark green or yellow-green. It ripens in the summer
when it turns yellow (often with patches of pink or red). The outer skin is
flexible and firmly attached to the flesh. The flesh contains a lot of
juice, is fragrant and has a sweet flavor. In the centre is a single
comparatively large stone covered with fiber.
The fruit flavor is sweet or acid-sweet, its nature neither hot nor cold.
It helps regulate the flow of
vital energy, eases coughing and benefits the spleen.
The flavor of the stone kernel is bitter-sweet, its nature neither hot nor
cold. It can promote vital energy, help circulation and ease pain.
The fruit contains carbohydrate, mango glucoside, mangiferin, volatile oils,
organic acid, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, etc.
APPLICATIONS
1. COUGH; ASTHMA; EXCESSIVE PHLEGM. Take 1 piece of fresh fruit and discard
the stone. Eat the fruit, including the skin. Do this 3 times each day.
2. INDIGESTION; STOMACH SWOLLEN. Take one piece of fruit, discard the stone
and eat both flesh and skin. Do this both in the morning and in the evening.
3. BLEEDING GUMS. Take 2 pieces of fresh fruit, discard the stone and eat
both skin and flesh. Do this once every day.
4. INFLAMMATION OF THE TESTICLES; ORCHITIS; PAINFUL HERNIA. Take 15 grams of
mango stone kernels plus 15 grams of longan stone and crush
them. Add 5 pieces of red date and 15 grams of the root of the
milk vetch (Astragalus membranaceus). Steam together and serve. Do this
daily, in the morning and again in the evening.
5. SKIN INFLAMMATION; ECZEMA. Take 150 grams of fruit skin and simmer in
water. Use the liquid to wash the affected place 3 times a day.
6. DROPSY. Take 15 grams of fruit skin and 30 grams of kernels from the
fruit stone. Steam in water and serve. Do this once a day.
PREPARATION
FRUIT KERNEL. Collect the fruit stone and scrape away any remaining flesh.
Wash clean and dry in the sun. When it becomes time to use them break open
the shell and obtain the kernel.
NOTES
Among the people it is said that excessive eating of this fruit may have
given rise to, or worsened, nephritis. For this reason people susceptible to
nephritis should avoid it. Normal people should also avoid eating great
quantities of this fruit at any one time.
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