Whole Life Times Magazine features Megafruit in Urban Essentials

We were so excited to see the new issue of Whole Life Times Magazine today on the news stands. Megafruit is featured in their current August 2010 issue in the Urban Essentials section.

Almost Vegan reviews Megafruit Dried Fruits

 Almost Vegan reviews Megafruit on her blog:

I also received some samples from MegaFruit Ventures. They specialize in dried superfruits—up-and-coming nutritional superstars whose health benefits are just being discovered. They don’t use any additives or preservatives when drying the fruit, so it’s truly all-natural. MegaFruit sent me one of each of their three fruits: mangosteen, baby pineapple, and lychee. Each two-serving package contains a total of 200 calories or less; if you’re the kind of snacker that doesn’t stop till you reach the bottom of the bag, this is a great thing.

The fruits are very firm and chewy, with a consistency more akin to goji berries than raisins. The antioxidant-laden mangosteen was slightly tart. The enzyme-filled baby pineapple was, well, pineappley! The sweet, vitamin-packed lychee was the softest, and in my opinion, tastiest. Yum!

Risks Health reviews Megafruit Mangosteen

Megafruit was reviewed on the Risks Health blog recently:

Check Out Megafruit Ventures Natural Dried Mangosteen, 2-Ounce Bags (Pack of 10) for $55.80

Megafruit Ventures Natural Dried Mangosteen, 2-Ounce Bags (Pack of 10) Review

Pros:
- Hard to get anything Mangosteen but this is the pure, natural, actual fruit
- Always been known to be one of the healthiest fruits in the world (high antioxidants)
- Easier to keep than a bag of doritos (there i go thinking about junk food again)
- Actually great for gift baskets. Included this with fruit basket/gift basket and it was a hit.

Cons:
- Need a resealable bag
- Might be a little tough on texture initially for those who've never tried this dried version before

I've tried the lychee, mangosteen and pineapples - terrific ideas and read that the product lines are expanding. Finally a way to get healthy, safe, clean, pure, exotic fruits.

All in all - a terrific product. this could be the next coconut water me thinks. :)

Megafruit Ventures Natural Dried Mangosteen, 2-Ounce Bags (Pack of 10) Feature

• Known as the queen of fruit, being described as the most delicous fruit in the world
• Contains Xanthones, considered to be the most powerful antioxidant in the world
• Delicious topping on oatmeal, cereal, desserts and meals
• Rare and difficult to harvest, making this antioxidant packed fruit a rare gem

Megafruit Ventures Natural Dried Mangosteen, 2-Ounce Bags (Pack of 10) Overview

At Megafruit Ventures, our mission is to source and introduce highly nutritious new Megafruits that are packed with outsized benefits to complement any diet. Megafruits are the next generation of Superfruits; products that have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities whose benefits are not yet widely known. We look to partner with producers who do not use any preservatives or additives in their processes to bring you products that are all natural and unadulterated. Our products come from all over the world and in many cases their nutritional properties have been known for centuries locally to provide extraordinary Megafruits benefits while still being relatively unknown to the US consumer. Megafruits products do not contain any added sugar or preservatives, giving you a completely natural and Megadelicious experience.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

Related Products

• MegaFruit Ventures Natural Dried Lychee, 2-Ounce Bags (Pack of 10)

Customer Reviews

Must try this wonderful fruit - B. Seo - dallas, tx
If you've never had mangosteen, you simply must try this!! It's delicious. In fact I'm eating a bag right now :) It has a mildly sweet flavor at first which turns slightly tart and tangy as you chew. No sugar, no preservatives, high in antioxidants and fiber, super delicious, what more could you ask for in a healthy snack?? Plus the entire bag is less than 200 calories.

LocalSpur Mentions Megafruit in Brentwood edition

Be Prepared to Build a Better Lunch

Have you ever looked in the fridge and thought to yourself I would really like to have a sandwich for lunch that has a great mayo on it, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, turkey, roast beef, and cheese? Or have you ever wanted to have a hot entree? 

Most of the time we have to settle for what is in our pantry or fridge at the time that we feel these hunger urges. You may have some turkey and bread, but you may not have lettuce or tomatoes or mayo in the fridge. How do you combat this terrible catastrophe? I say BE PREPARED. 

Before you do your weekly or bi weekly shop at the market, sit down and write out what you would ideally like to eat this week and check to see if you have those food items in your pantry or fridge. If you don't have those items, put them on your list. 

Here are some tips for a successful supermarket shop:

1. Eat before you go to the market so you are not starving and buy everything in sight or buy unhealthy high sugar high fat snacks. 

2. I often write down foods I would like to eat during the week and when I do my shop I review the list to see if I still have those food urges. 

3. One of my food tricks is to buy items that may go together in a sandwich or an entree so that when I am looking to make something, I can put something together without running back to the market.

4. Buy what you want not what you think you should be eating as long as it is reasonably healthy and a whole food that does not come from a box. Don't buy something super low fat and not tasty because you think you should eat it. More than likely you will not eat it.

5.) Stock the basics in your fridge and pantry - my basics includes mayo, mustard, horseradish, baguette, 2 kinds of cheeses, 3 kinds of deli meats, eggs, milk, sparkling water, 2 different oils, pasta, fruits and vegetables, ground meat, chicken breasts, potatoes, soy sauce, peanut butter, various spices, and ice cream. 

Figure out your basics and make sure you have them at all times so you can make a great lunch anytime. Being prepared is all it takes. A little planning will take you a long way in eating healthy and delicious meals.

Ways to Relax according to American Girl Book

My 5 year old was toting this book around yesterday and reading me parts of it. Finally, I looked at the cover and just started to laugh. This book is from American Girl and is written for young girls. I thought some of the tips were important for adults who just don't take time for themselves. It is great that American Girl is putting out a book to help young girls realize that they need to make time for themselves because when they become grown ups there will be very little time to relax and they need to learn to relax for their health now.

(Pic of my 5 year old playing on the Ipod  Touch in line at the airport).

Here are some of the tips the American Girl 29 Ways to Relax book gives:

1. Let loose by doing arts and crafts.
2. Make a cup of hot cocoa and sit on the couch with a book.
3. Stop thinking about problems and focus on things that are interesting.
4. Take a long warm bubble bath.
5. Take up quilting.
6. Go on the computer to play games.
7. Listen to music and dance.
8. Sit outside and listen to sounds in the neighborhood.
9. Lie and watch the clouds in the garden.
10. Relax by exercising.
11. Play dress up.
12. Take pictures outside.
13. Bake some cookies with a friend.
14. Make jewelry with friends.
15. Do some yoga.

You get the picture. The list applies to adults and kids. It is important to take time for yourself every day. Even as little as 20 minutes alone doing something you like will help you relax.

Truffle Chicken Breast Recipe

The big truffle season is approaching soon. October is the month when the best truffles are usually harvested. Summer truffles are good, but Fall truffles are a delicacy. In the last few years truffles have made it into the mainstream market with the invention of new recipes such as truffle mashed potatoes and truffle macaroni and cheese. Supermarkets all over the country are now stocking white and black truffle oils that are more affordable than buying the truffles themselves and the flavor still manages to infuse your food with just a few drops of this magical fungus. Recently, I was lucky enough to receive some summer truffles from the Maison de Truffe in Paris as a gift as well as some truffle oil from that shop and Truffle Salt from another friend. When I had people over this weekend, I decided to make one of my favorite recipes Truffle Chicken. I served it with truffle macaroni and cheese and grilled vegetables and it was a simple meal that turned couture with just a few slices of truffle, a few pinches of truffle salt, and a few teaspoons of truffle oil. The layering of the 3 ingredients helped bring out the flavor of the dish.

Here is the recipe:

2 teaspoons truffle oil (Can be found at any gourmet market for $14 to 35 a bottle)
1 teaspoon of truffle salt (Can be made if you buy dried truffles and mix into your salt with a few drops of truffle oil)
3- 4 slices of truffle (summer is more cost effective than fall truffles)
Split up chicken breasts - split 4 breasts to serve 8 people
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of olive oil


Take the split chicken breasts and sprinkle truffle salt, garlic, and truffle oil over every piece. Heat up your pan and drizzle olive oil to cover the pan, sear each chicken breasts 2 minutes on each side until brown and put all the pieces in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with truffles sprinkled on top with mac and cheese garnished with a bit of truffle oil on top, a great bottle of wine, and your favorite grilled vegetables.


 

Dried Fruit and Cheese Platter Summer Party Idea

We are now in the middle of summer and you are all probably not interested in cooking in the your hot kitchen at home. Grilling seems to be the best option for summer. Everyone wants to be outside whether it be in the yard or at the beach. 
Next time you have people over, think about serving a cold cheese platter and some white wines to cool your guests down after a hot sunny day at the beach. There are so many great cheeses to choose from now that you can really have everything from Humboldt Fog to Cheddar on your platter along with fresh berries, nuts, grapes, and dried fruit. Add some bread sticks and sliced toasted raisin bread and you have a whole meal for a hot night. The dried fruit is full of fiber and gives a depth of flavor to the cheese that is usually overlooked. 

Make a cheese platter and add some of the Megafruit baby pineapple, lychee, and mangosteen flavors to your dried fruit mix on the cheese platter and get your guests curious about the new flavors they are trying for the first time.

Apple Lychee Sangria Recipe

During summer I love a great sangria recipe. It is fruit with wine and a bit of liqueur and it is so refreshing. I always make a sangria with a white wine, strawberries, peaches, white grape juice, and simple syrup and people rave about it when I have it at a party. Recently, I stumbled upon a sangria recipe that included lychees and I had to try it right away. The recipe is from wineintro.com and I made a little adaptation to it. (Photo credit wineintro.com).

Here is my version: I added the lychee fruit to the mix.

Apple Lychee Sangria Recipe Ingredients 1/4 apple cut up 1oz lychee liqueur 1/4 cup of lychees from a can 1 glass white wine  Cut the apple and lychees into small slices so you can eat them as you drink. Put them into a wine glass. Add in the lychee liqueur. Finally, top the glass off with a white wine. Chenin blanc is the classic white to use because it has an apply flavor, but any white should do nicely. It's best if the white wine is rather cold - otherwise, toss in some plastic ice cubes to cool things off.  To turn this into a party sangria recipe, there are usually four large glasses of wine in a 750ml bottle of wine. Simply multiply all ingredients by four and use a full bottle of wine in a large pitcher or bowl.   Photo Courtesy: http://sushimonkee.xanga.com/

Megafruit Food Demo at Mickey Fine

Megafruit Ventures did a demo at the Mickey Fine Store at 2000 Avenue of the Stars today. The demo was from 10:30A to 1:30P. It was a great demo with lots of fun and funny questions asked by all the customers who came by to taste our exciting flavors.

What we love about Mickey Fine customers:

1.) They are very funny.
2.) They love to try new things.
3.) They like to laugh.
4.) They love chips.
5.) They play the Lotto.
6.) They love energy drinks.
7.) They love retro candy like the Idaho Spud.


If you are ever at 2000 Avenue of the Stars stop by Mickey Fine and pick up some Megafruit. Check out their great assortment of candies and gifts too. Coffee Bean is right next door and after that stop by Cuvee for lunch or Happy Hour. Make a day of it at 2000 Avenue of the Stars in Century City.
 

Reduce Reuse Recycle Clothes

As everyone gets back to basics because of the economy, designers are making clothes from recycled materials and clothing to design new pieces to help conserve on the natural resources in the world. Food producers are using sustainable farming methods and compostable materials to pack their products.

According to Fabgreen.com: This dress was "Conceived by fashion designer and creative director Gary Harvey, this collection set out to prove that recycled clothing can be beautiful, innovative, and enchanting. The couture-inspired collection, which was shown at London Fashion Week back in 2007, features gowns made entirely from recycled materials:  42 pairs of Levi’s 501s, 37 black tees, 30 copies of the Financial Times, 28 camouflage army jackets, 26 nylon baseball jackets, 21 laundry bags, 18 trench coats, ten pre-owned wedding dresses, and seven Hawaiian shirts — to be exact". 

It is just amazing what can be done using recycled materials. Going green means being creative about the use of our natural resources. If you need to buy your kids some new clothes, think about selling your old clothes to a consignment store and then buying clothes from the consignment store. Try not to always buy new and trade with your friends. What is old to them is new to you and vice versa. The new chic is not more more more, but conservation. 

Think about whether you can buy an item you need for yourself or your household from a consignment store or if you can buy an item made with recycled materials. It is all part of going green. It is good for you and the world.

Getting Back To Basics With Food

The trend is about getting back to basics for food at the moment. The slow down in the economy has caused everyone to take a really good look at what they are consuming and decide if they really need what they are buying. This goes for big homes, expensive cars, more clothes, or foods that are not essential to our diets. Also, people are trying to only buy what they need when they need it instead of stocking up.

One of the main things that people are doing now is buying fresh healthy foods that have nutrients. For example, farmer's markets are burgeoning because the most basic of healthy foods usually end up there. If you are looking for unfettered apples, cucumbers, peppers, and onions, you will find it at the farmer's market. You will not find sugary cereals or cream filled cookies at the farmer's market and that suits a lot of people just fine these days.

The trend of going back to basics is a great thing for the world. We start to appreciate what we have now instead of looking around and thinking about what is next. People are taking the same approach to food. It is not about eating meals made from recipes from the 1950's, it is about making a meal from 5 fresh ingredients or only using fresh produce and meats or fish to make a meal. People are trying to eat like we were meant to eat by eating fresh foods from the earth instead of eating processed foods with artificial flavors that come from a box.

The change is good. We will start to remember how great a ripe peach tastes on a hot summer day. A peach is sweet on its own with no sugar added as nature intended it to be. Take a beat today and think about what you are eating. Is it fresh and natural? Your body will thank you for it.

Adult Campari Popsicles for the beach

Ever wanted a popsicle at the beach like the kids with just a little something in it for adults only? I always wanted just a little treat on the beach, but did not want to bring a bottle of wine with me. Recently, I found a few really great adult popsicle recipes that I thought you might like as well for summers on the beach or picnics on a hot summer day.

One of my favorites is from a site named thekitchn. They have a recipe for citrus posicles that are out of this world.

Here is the recipe:

Campari Citrus Popsicles
makes 10-15, depending on the size

Grapefruit Pops
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups grapefruit juice
1/2 cup Campari

Orange Pops
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups orange juice
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup Campari

Mix the water and sugar together in a small pan over a low heat, and bring up to boil until the sugar dissolves. Allow the simple syrup to boil for 4 minutes, remove from heat and cool (makes a little over 1 cup).

Combine the citrus juice and Campari and add 1 cup of the cooled syrup. Adjust to taste: for the grapefruit pops, you may want to add a tablespoon or two extra syrup if you prefer them less tart. Remember, the mixture will taste slightly sweeter in liquid form than it does when frozen.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight. To remove, run the molds quickly under hot water, and gently pull out the pops.

(Images: Liz Vidyarthi)

Another one of my favorite recipes is a Margarita Popsicle Recipe. It is very simple to make and tastes fantastic. Its a Margarita that is portable. This recipe is from Grouprecipes.com.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups of sugar

3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
kosher salt to garnish

How to make it

---

• Special Equipment: 4 small cups (recommended: Dixie), 4 popsicle sticks and foil.
• Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth.
• Pour into the cups and cover the top of each cup with foil.
• Place the popsicle stick in center of cup (down through foil, which will hold it in place).
• Freeze until hard, preferably overnight.
• Remove from freezer and run cup under warm water to loosen popsicle.
• Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Megafruit in Drug Store News July 12, 2010

Drug Store News wrote about Megafruit in the Consumables section of their publication on July 12, 2010.

Here is the article:

LOS ANGELES (Jul. 12) A new, natural line of dried fruits seeks to make snacking easier for health-conscious consumers.  

Megafruit -- which consists of antioxidant-rich products -- are filled with nutrients but are free of sugar and preservatives. The line currently includes mangosteen, lychee and baby pineapple varieties.
For more information, visit MegafruitVentures.com.

Kahlua is Made With Vanilla Beans

Did you know that the vanilla comes from the orchid plant? I did not know either until a recent trip to Maui, Hawaii last year. Vanilla Planifolia is a tropical orchid that grows as a vine and can reach lengths of 80-100 feet. The plant produces a fragile and fragrant flower that can take up to three years after the orchid vine are planted before the first flower appear. After being hand pollinated, these flowers look like big green beans and need to remain on the vine for 9 months. The beans are treated in hot water after harvesting. Then they are cured in the arm tropical sun and cooled in the evening breeze for 5 to 6 months in order to reach their peak fragrance and flavor.

Even more fascinating is the fact that Kahlua is made with vanilla beans. Did you know that? Here is an easy recipe that the Maui Vanilla Bean Company gave me when I visited Maui a few months ago.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of water
  
• 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup instant coffee
• 1.75 liters high quality vodka
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 whole vanilla bean

Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and water in a small sauce pan. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until sugar is dissolved.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the coffee. Allow to cool completely.

Pour into a large lid glass container along with the vodka, vanilla extract and the vanilla bean seeds that have been scraped out of the whole vanilla bean.

Cover and let stand for 3 weeks until it is fully aged. Then enjoy your homemade Kahlua.

Step 2

Step 3

Pour into a large plastic container with a lid. Add the vodka, vanilla flavoring and vanilla bean.

Read more:

Step 3

Pour into a large plastic container with a lid. Add the vodka, vanilla flavoring and vanilla bean.

Step 4

Cover and let stand for two to three weeks or until fully aged. Kahlua, when properly stored, can last safely for up to a few years.

Read more:

Sandwich Bar Summer Party Idea

Summer time parties are always very fun to plan because you can have many of them in your backyard or outdoors at the park somewhere. Somehow a summer time party always feels less formal and more casual. A great party idea for summer would be to have people over for a Sandwich Bar party. It is a simple idea that can be quite a lot of fun. You set up the table full of different breads, meats, condiments, and vegetables and let your guests create their own sandwiches. This type of party makes for great conversation because everyone will have a different sandwich idea.

Here are some ideas for your sandwich bar:

• Set up cutlery and plates at the beginning of the sandwich bar so that guests can start piling on their sandwich fixings.
• Use a pretty tablecloth on your table.
• Get fresh flowers and put them in a vase in the middle of the table.
• Serve brownies and cookies on the side with fruit as dessert treats to go with your sandwiches.
• Get different types of bread and put it in a napkin lined basket on display for guests to use. Buy breads like baguette, wheat bread, white bread, and other varieties.
• Have the meats arranged on a platter in a half fold in a round circle with tongs so meats can be easily put on their choice of bread.
• Peanut Butter and Jelly, tuna salad, and egg salad can be set up in bowls.
  
• Cut up lettuce, tomatoes, arugula, radishes, and onions and set up on a platter.
• Put condiments like horseradish, butter, mayonnaise, and mustard in little bowls with little spoons so guests can easily put on their bread.
• Put a cutting board out with a knife so guests can cut their sandwiches in halves or quarters.
• Have parchment paper pre cup with ribbons so guests can wrap their sandwiches up and eat them while walking around your garden or home.
• Put different pitchers of drinks on the table including lemonade, juices, and water so guests can help themselves to a beverage.
• Make a few salads too so that guests can have a sandwich and a salad if you like.
  
• Make a small kids sandwich bar if you have children at your party. Have white and brown bread on the table, marshmallow fluff, peanut butter and jelly, and bananas out for kids to make their own fun sandwiches.

Whatever sandwich bar you decide to do, your guests will love the idea. It is a fun creative easy way to throw a party this summer.

The Ivy Chopped Salad Recipe

Do you notice that as soon as summer starts to heat up people are eating more cold soups and salads? I love the summer because it means linen pants and tee shirts. Summer is about taking it easy and taking it slow. Salads are an easy way to eat healthy and keep the kitchen cool. One of my favorite salads is The Ivy chopped salad. The Ivy chopped salad is served at The Ivy Restaurant on the famed celebrity filled Robertson Boulevard. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pitt, and many others are often seen at this restaurant. If you do not live in LA or just want to make this recipe at home on your own.

Here is a recipe inspired by the Ivy Chopped Salad.

• 1 head green leaf lettuce, finely chopped
• 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 3 ears corn, grilled then remove the kernels
• 1 large bunch asparagus, grilled then chopped
• 2 bunches green onions, grilled then chopped
• 3 medium zucchini, grilled then chopped
• 2 avocados, diced
• 
  
• Dressing:
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp crushed basil
• 1/2 tsp crushed oregano

1. Make the dressing first and put in the fridge.
   
2. Brush the zucchini, asparagus, corn, and green onions with olive oil, use salt and pepper to taste and grill.
3. Chop all your grilled vegetables and mix with avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes.
   

Baby Pineapple Nutrition and Facts

Have you ever seen a baby pineapple? It is probably the cutest fruit out there. It is a pineapple that is the size of a large fuji apple. See the size comparison next to a bunch of bananas.

Nutritional Facts:

Pineapples provide a good source of vitamin C and useful amounts of folate, thiamine, magnesium, iron and vitamin B6. One cup of fresh pineapple contains about 75 calories. High in soluble fiber, pineapple may aid in controlling cholesterol levels. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found eating nine or ten daily servings, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.

The baby pineapple is grown in countries like Brazil, South Africa, South Africa, and Thailand. It is high in fiber and full of nutrients.

Nutrients include: Copper, Fiber, Manganese, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and C

It is considered a Superfruit because of its high nutrient content in such a small package. It also taste less fibrous than its larger sibling the Pineapple.

Definition of a Superfruit: refers to a fruit which combines exceptional nutrient richness and antioxidant quality with appealing taste that can stimulate and retain loyalty for consumer products. Megafruit Ventures is bringing dehydrated baby pineapples to the US for the first time ever. Click here to learn more about Megafruit's Superfruits and how convenient they are for a healthy lifestyle.

Here is some information about the cultural and historical information about the baby pineapple from specialtyproduce.com.

Baby South African pineapples have been popular with European chefs for many years. Before Florida's delicious contribution, chefs in the United States could only dream about them. A Caribbean favorite is pineapple in a spicy and hot chicken sauté made with chili powder and hot peppers. Chinese cuisine loves to add the flavor of pineapple into their dishes, especially in Chinese-style shrimp or chicken stir-fries. As a matter of course many Asians sprinkle a little salt on fresh pineapple. Common in France is the excellent effect that Kirsch, the cherry-based liqueur, has poured over fresh pineapple.

Considered at one time to be Victoria's delicious secret, a twenty-acre farm in Homestead, Florida, grew the first Queen Victoria variety, aka South African baby pineapples, grown in the United States. Originating in the French Islands of the Indian Ocean and Mauritius, these miniature pineapples are also grown in Central America and Hawaii. The first Florida crop matured in December 1997, yielding some twenty-five thousand fruits. Staggered plantings have kept a steady flow of this pineapple variety available year round to eager markets.

Mangosteen Queen of Tropical Fruit

What is a mangosteen?

A Mangosteen is a tropical fruit that is grown in hot, humid climates of southeast Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The Mangosteen is a dark purple fruit about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. It is the size of an apple.

The fleshy meat inside the mangosteen is protected by a hard outer shell. The fleshy meat and the outer rind are believed to be full of vitamins and nutrients.

The rind has been found to contain the compounds alpha-mangostin, beta-mangostin, garcinone B, and garcinone E, which are collectively called xanthones.

For the first time ever, Megafruit Ventures is bringing this Queen of Fruits to the US market. This loaded with antioxidants dried fruit will be sure to make your family smile during carpool and snack time. Click here to find out more about this Queen of Fruits snack now.

Here is the history of the Mangosteen according to the website www.mangosteen.com.

The gradual increase in awareness of the mangosteen outside of the Malay Archipelago, its native range, was a long and slow process. The few explorers who traversed the seas of Southeast Asia had more pressing issues to contend with than attempting to transport back to Europe and later the Americas an exotic fruit that was so perishable and fragile. Even the seeds die in a week or so if allowed to dry out. There were easier ways to make money. Spices, nuts, precious metals, gems, plant and animal pharmaceuticals and hard goods were all more able to make the long ocean journey back with little reduction in quality. Even so, live mangosteen plants were attempted before the 1800's.

Probably the best bibliography of the historical references to the mangosteen was assembled by Cora L. Feldkamp in 1946 (1). This extensive compilation included, in her words, "references on all aspects of the mangosteen- botany, culture, diseases and pests, varieties, composition, nutritive value, cookery, toxic effects, uses, economics, etc." Much of the web site mangosteen.com relied on the thorough work done by Cora L. Feldkamp. It provided a vast overview of the history of the mangosteen and its steady march towards modern times and greater familiarity in the Western Hemisphere and Europe.

The earlier transportation of plants outside of their native range required a great deal of planning and then luck when the mode of transportation was a boat on the open seas. Beyond the usual basic necessity of food and weaponry, live plant transportation called for more elaborate measures i.e. refitting the ship deck, lining the hull with copper to ward off seaborne wood parasites, designing special plant cases or building greenhouses on deck, storing extra fresh water, etc. Some of the earlier plant explorers did succeed admirably in getting their accessions back to their home countries or colonies. Sometimes the accessions changed ships in transit when a homeward-bound vessel aided a fellow countryman in getting their collected material back to the mother country. And sometimes the collected material became the property of a different country as a result of piracy. In this regard, the Spanish, French, Dutch, British, Portuguese and others all vied for control of different regions of the world and strove to create monopolies in any and all commodities (2). The spice trade, furs, gums and waxes, natural dyes, ivory, silk, cotton and coffee comprised much of the cargo at sea in those times. A gradual trend was emerging where the control of a commodity was more manageable for a colonial power than absolute control of the people of a colony or possession and treaties for this purpose abounded. In the decades following their loss in the Revolutionary War, the British set to the task of exploring and strengthening their grip on particular trade routes on the seas. Plants were not only transported back to home countries from afar (3). Many colonizers also took plants and livestock the other way, 'seeding' the islands along the routes to try and ensure a food supply in both directions and a means of barter as well. Horses, pigs and goats were presented as gifts to secure certain trade privileges and the result was a movement of germplasm of many species outside of their native ranges that would never be allowed today. The focus of this web site, the mangosteen, was just a bit player in this drama but played a role nonetheless.

The records that detail the movement of the mangosteen during the 18th and 19th century (2,3,4,5,6,7,8) indicate that the first introduction of the mangosteen in the UK goes back to someone named Anton Pantaleon Hove. A. P. Hove (alternately Hoveau) was a Pole dispatched by Sir Joseph Banks to go and try to 'obtain' some better strains of cotton seeds from Gujarat, India. Apparently amongst his procurements were mangosteen plants that made it back to Plymouth, England in 1789 and which were then moved to Kew. Sir Joseph Banks, whose widespread popularity and renown resulting from his accompanying Captain Cook on his first expedition, was then head of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and president of the Royal Society. Banks was very actively involved throughout this period in guiding, consulting on and sometimes personally funding projects involving both plant and animal introductions. Slowly but surely, the effort was being made to introduce the mangosteen into the Western Hemisphere.

With regard to the history of the mangosteen, it should be noted that it was the other plant under consideration in an 18th century publication (7) titled "A description of the mangostan and the bread-fruit" by John Ellis (mangostan was the word for the mangosteen in the Molucca Islands). The year was 1775 and John Ellis was utilizing his knowledge of the tropics as a fellow of the Royal Society Of London to expound upon the botanical treasures of far off Africa and the Malay Archipelago. The original intent of this work was to inform his Majesty "The Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty of GREAT BRITAIN" of a prospect that "seems conducive to the benefit of any part of the British Empire..." This publication also detailed with sketches of designs of several wooden plant cases with wire mesh that would house the plants on the deck of a ship for the journey home. There was also a stylized sketch of the breadfruit and the mangosteen in this publication. See below.

Cabinets designed by Ellis to hold plants on the upper decks of a ship.

The four illustrations above are from the work by John Ellis (7) from 1775.

Ellis makes reference to Laurent Garcin, a French naturalist who traveled through the region in question collecting and describing the native plants in general and the mangosteen in particular. Linnaeus, a regular correspondent with Ellis, honored the work of Laurent Garcin by naming the genus Garcinia which includes the mangosteen after him (9,10). It is the glowing description of the mangosteen fruit by Garcin, Rumphius, and others that led Ellis to place it alongside the breadfruit as a candidate for retrieval and planting in the British colonies of the Caribbean. The publication of this paper was intended to encourage the funding of an expedition to the "East Indies" to bring back these two plant species, the mangosteen and the breadfruit, to the West Indies for planting and cultivation. In this it succeeded. The individual chosen for this journey based on the conclusions of this publication was none other than Captain Bligh (11, 12). The British government in 1787 informed the West India Committee, a British plantation owners' lobbying organization in competition with the Royal Society of the Arts, that they would provide funding for this expedition. They purchased a ship commissioned as the "Bounty" for this purpose. As many know, Bligh needed more than one attempt but did ultimately succeed in bringing back the bread fruit on the ship Providence. For this Bligh received the Gold Medal from the Royal Society of the Arts in 1793. Breadfruit then became widely established throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. The same success and notoriety could not be said for the other candidate in John Ellis' work, the mangosteen, at that time.

Highly detailed mangosteen print from 1880 by Berthe Hoola van Nooten*

The references to the mangosteen remain somewhat sparse from the end of the 18th century to the mid-19th century. One event that stands out is that of the first recorded fruiting of the mangosteen in the United Kingdom in 1855. This feat was accomplished at Syon Park, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Northumberland, by their highly skilled gardener John Ivison (11, 12). The greenhouse complex was heated to maintain a steady tropical temperature to offset the temperate British climate and this was managed in what were then known as stove houses. The seeds were obtained, so the article goes, by a Captain White from Calcutta in 1833. Based on this and other articles around that period, the timeframe would be that flowers formed on one or both of the two trees grown in large tubs in November of 1854. This would work out about right for fruit approximately 120 days or more later. It was stated that the tree with the flowers was about 15' high and 9' wide (a field grown tree in the tropics can produce at a much smaller size and in fewer years) but to pull this off in a greenhouse was quite an accomplishment. It was acknowledged as such by the Royal Horticultural Society at the time. The fruit received the Gold Banksian Medal, the first time such an honor was attached to a single fruit. It is claimed by numerous web sites that Queen Victoria was in attendance when the fruit was presented but in point of fact there is no proof of that and the Queen most likely was not. This would have been too newsworthy for the press to have ignored it in the articles of the time and none substantiate this claim. The Royal Archives recently found a letter from Eleanor, the Duchess of Northumberland, addressed to Queen Victoria explaining that based on her (Eleanor's) glowing description of the mangosteen to the Queen at a subsequent gathering, "...I now venture to ask to be allowed to send to your Majesty, a Fruit of the Mangosteen, which has never been known to fruit out of its own country; and this is therefore an object of very great curiosity and interest among Botanists." Why would she offer to send one if the Queen had already been at any ceremony based on the fruit of the mangosteen? This letter is from May 7, 1855 and there is no documented proof at this time that the Queen ever received the fruit or tried it if it arrived. A good day to be a court taster! So it is possible that Queen Victoria tried a sample sent over to her by Eleanor, Duchess of Northumberland, but there is no documented proof of receipt at this time or tasting of the mangosteen by the Queen in 1855. None whatsoever.

1824 print; Loddiges, Conrad and sons*

And some folklore...

Before reading this next section, take a moment and do a search on any search engine for the following. First, look for "Queen Victoria" and you will see hundreds or thousands of relevant hits on this topic. Then alter the search by adding the '+' symbol or the word AND and the word "mangosteen" and voilá. The connection between the mangosteen and Queen Victoria is on hundreds, thousands of web sites... As far as I can tell, there is no such connection at all. I will gladly receive any verifiable documentation that proves me wrong and rewrite this part of the mangosteen.com web site immediately.

The lingering conviction that the Queen was in attendance was again resurrected in the 19th century by W. Higgie in the Gardener's Chronicle 37 years later (13). He asserts, I believe incorrectly, that the Queen was in attendance at the ceremony and first tried this fruit produced by the Northumberlands in 1855. I say incorrectly for two additional reasons. First, I received from the Royal Archives (14) a letter dated 31 March, 2005, in which the Registrar states "...I cannot find any reference to mangosteens in connection with Queen Victoria" in their archives. And the second reason is because of an 1891 paper (15) by J. H. Hart. Hart was writing in Trinidad about the request of his visitor, Sir F. Napier Broome, K.C.M.G., to try and transport back to England a mangosteen for the Queen to sample. This would have been the second attempt to transport mangosteens to England from Trinidad. The first attempt (16) was made in 1875 when this mangosteen tree first flowered and fruited. Mr. Henry Prestoe, Hart's predecessor as curator of the Trinidad Botanic Gardens, succeeded in getting them to the UK. The two fruits sent by Prestoe did arrive somewhat worse for wear but the Queen was not recorded as having been a recipient at that time. The writers of the Gardeners' Chronicle received both fruits and ate them, reporting on the sweet flavor after the long journey. However, in 1891, Sir Broome asked to try again.

"...His Excellency expressed the wish to take some of the fruit with him, with the view of presenting it to the Queen, it being reported that the Mangosteen was almost the only fruit worth eating, which her Majesty had never tasted."

Upon arrival in the UK, the fruit was forwarded to Queen Victoria in residence at the time in Balmoral Castle and her personal secretary Henry F. Ponsonby sent a letter of thanks to Sir Frederick Broome informing him that;

"I am commanded by Her Majesty to thank you for these Mangosteens, and I may add that the Queen says at the same time "they were quite excellent." "

Hart goes on to wonder if Trinidad can lay claim to being the first of Her Majesty's "possessions" to afford her the opportunity to try the mangosteen. I think I can state that the Queen was not in attendance when the Syon fruit was unveiled but if the Queen did try this fruit prior to the shipment from Trinidad in 1891, no one as of this writing can prove it.

There was one tantalizing clue in a book review that suggested Queen Victoria had tried the mangosteen earlier than 1891. It was brought to my attention recently and I should clear up this confusion here and now. The book in question (17), "Maharanis: The Extraordinary Tale of Four Indian Queens and Their Journey from Purdah to Parliament" by Lucy Moore is an excellent read and insightful view of the times. The book review written by Kate Chisholm can be found in the Sunday Telegraph, 8/29/04, and she refers to the Queen "enjoying the taste of exotic fruits such as rambutans and mangosteens shipped over specially for her delectation..." Unfortunately, according to the author Lucy Moore (pers. comm.), these are not the words of the author but rather those of the reviewer and do not appear anywhere in Lucy Moore's book.

One also can not prove that Queen Victoria ever offered any rewards whatsoever to the first person who could bring her a fresh mangosteen. Believe me, I tried to locate proof of this (see below). The alleged offers of a knighthood, money and so on are at best apocryphal and appear to be the creative work (18) of David G. Fairchild.

Fairchild was a fervent promoter of agriculture and a towering figure in the history of plant collecting from around the world and their subsequent introductions in the United States. The namesake behind Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, Florida, he left behind an extraordinary legacy and wealth of papers, diaries, notes and book drafts that is a treasure trove for students of American history and agriculture. I am greatly indebted to this institution and the very knowledgeable curator of the archives (see Acknowledgements) who enabled me to make an appointment to spend an entire day poring over the works on their shelves. David Fairchild also played a key role in an expression seen on tens of thousands of web sites;

"Mangosteen, the queen of tropical fruit"

Alternately written "mangosteen, the queen of fruit" by Fairchild himself, it is hard to convey the extent to which this quotation has caught on with sellers of processed mangosteen products until you take a moment with a major search engine on the internet. You can search just the word <"mangosteen"> or <"queen of fruit"> or and you will see thousands of sites promoting mangosteen-related products (see Science, non-science and nonsense). Heck, you can even search for <"spam spam spam and the queen of fruit"> and you will see thousands of references to the mangosteen... This phrase, as far as my research has taken me, was first coined by David Fairchild in 1903 to attach august or royal attributes to a fruit he thought very highly of (19). The connection between the "queen" in this quote and Queen Victoria is also apparently internet fiction. See below.

In his extensive travels around the world Fairchild had ample opportunity to try just about every fruit imaginable in dozens of countries both tropical and temperate. His conclusion was that of all the fruits he tasted, the one that earned his highest praise was the mangosteen. In Fairchild's book (18) "Exploring for plants" published in 1930 by Macmillan, he makes the first reference to the mangosteen on page 7 as "the queen of tropical fruit." Fairchild then goes on to elaborate on page 18 and states that Queen Victoria "once offered 100 pounds to anyone who would bring her one." He also states that the Duke of Northumberland in 1855 had two trees each with one with fruit and he personally presented Queen Victoria with one fruit and held a banquet in honor of the other one. None of this is substantiated by any known data base including the British Natural History Museum, Kew Gardens, the Royal Archives, The Times of London, the British Library, Gardener's Chronicle, Curtis's Botanical Magazine or any other known print medium of the times. So his conjecture is possible but highly improbable given that it appears undocumented and uncited.

It is also highly unlikely that Queen Victoria has anything whatsoever to do with the expression "Queen of tropical fruit" and the mangosteen, as is stated on hundreds of web sites. Again, no citation, no historical proof and the earliest sign of this quotation is that of Fairchild. Just a leap on the part of those with a fertile imagination and no time to do research, apparently. It seems more likely that mangosteens have been 'the fruit of queens' than the other way around.

I offered a reward on Google in September of 2005 to anyone who could find the citation substantiating claims of rewards by Queen Victoria for the mangosteen and there were no takers from anywhere in the world. The reward stands; I will offer U.S. $100.00 to the first person only who can locate and provide me with or direct me to the written document from before the beginning of 1901 that substantiates Fairchild's claims regarding Queen Victoria and the rewards offered. I will then rewrite this section of the web site! But don't hold your breath.

There is more. The "queen of fruit" is how David Fairchild refers to the mangosteen (20) in 1915 and the word "tropical" has been dropped, only to reappear later. Why does it matter? It is quoted on thousands of web sites both ways largely to promote processed mangosteen products in many cases without attribution to Fairchild or with attribution to Queen Victoria. And Fairchild was only referring to the fresh fruit, not any processed fruit and certainly not any processed whole fruit!!! Along with this are the oft-cited offers of rewards by Queen Victoria and there is not one whit of evidence to back this up. To date, none. See my page Science, non-science and nonsense. I don't expect this web site to change any of that. I am simply another voice weighing in but one that did the original research and did not simply repeat the unfounded, uncited, baseless speculations of marketers of mangosteen products repeating each other as sources. Or just making it up.

One can not rule out the possibility that the origin of this quote "mangosteen, the queen of fruit" is in fact a translation of perhaps an old Thai or Malay expression. Maybe it dates back to colonial times and early explorers first encounters with the mangosteen. The first European to try the fruit may simply have been translating the local expression of praise for this fruit. I have attempted repeatedly over the years to determine whether this was the case but inquiries made to both Thailand and Malaysia have never been responded to. I contacted universities and professors, government agricultural agencies and their scientists, tourism officials and consulates here in the States; nothing. It must have been a language barrier. Or perhaps they just thought I was nuts. The only responses I ever received were from 2 bloggers and a writer of a newsletter and for that, my thanks.

One final note about the quote "queen of fruit." Depending on where in the world you are sitting while reading this, the "queen of fruit" could be historically one of your own local fruits. The pineapple, grape, apple, mango (India), peach (US), apricot, quince and who knows how many other fruits have all been referred to as "the queen of fruit." And on and on. Alfred Russell Wallace in his "Malay Archipelago" (21) thought of the orange as "the queen of fruit", pairing it with the durian as the "king of fruit." And in the Philippines, the mangosteen was referred to as... the King's fruit!

A photo of both the king and queen of tropical fruits. Durian, the king, is in the background.

Some odd coincidences have appeared during my research regarding the mangosteen. In the last two centuries it was the name of a race horse twice and the first time was in 1844. Curious to know why, back in 1844 a word this unusual would be applied to a horse, I contacted the Thoroughbred Heritage in the UK with this very question. My thanks to Patricia and the Thoroughbred Heritage of England. The horse Mangosteen had relatives that, in keeping with a habit of the times, preserved the food theme and the other horses had names like Morel, Truffles, Mustard and so on. The second horse named Mangosteen ran in the US in the 1930's.

It would be incomplete not to mention some of the other early explorers that braved the remote, sea snake infested, malarial and seasonally cyclone-prone Malay Archipelago and seas of Southeast Asia in pursuit of discovery, collection and documentation of their travels. Truly intrepid plant explorers such as F. W. Burbidge(22), Monsignor Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix(23), Henri Mouhot (24), Odoardo Beccari (25), Eric Mjöberg (26), and William Roxburgh (27) provided us with the earliest records of Europeans eating and enjoying the fresh mangosteen in its native environment. Burbidge, commissioned by the British firm Veitch and Sons, explored Borneo and described the flavor of the mangosteen as;

"...something like that of the finest nectarine, but with a dash of strawberry and pine-apple added."

Pallegoix in Thailand also weighed in, trying to describe the flavor;

" They exhume a sweet perfume approaching that of the raspberry and have the taste of strawberries."

Odoardo Beccari traveling through Borneo also waxes lyrical and it should be noted that these explorers all shared a temperate climate orientation and thus chose that reference point to help them describe this tropical fruit. Beccari summons a few of them;

"...an abundant white, juicy pulp, soft, sweet, slightly acidulated, and with a delicate, delicious flavour, which recalls that of a fine peach, muscatel grapes, and something peculiar and indescribable which no other fruit has."

Eric Mjöberg spent a brief period at Kew Gardens, during which time he met many of the luminaries of science in that day. But the one contact that he made there that was to facilitate his travels to Sarawak was his timely meeting with James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak. Of this fruit, Eric Mjöberg said;

"The mangosteen has only one fault; it is impossible to eat enough of it, but, strictly speaking, perhaps that is a defect in the eater rather than in the fruit."

Further along he states;

"It would be mere blasphemy to attempt to describe its wonderful taste, the very culmination of culinary art for any unspoilt palate."

And finally he states;

"It has been credibly asserted that the mangosteen was the one fruit that Queen Victoria could not have served at her table."

Enough said.

Bibliography

1) Feldkamp, Cora L. The mangosteen: a list of references. U.S.D.A. 1946. Washington, D.C.

(2) Mackay, David. In the wake of Cook; exploration, science & empire, 1780-1801. St. Martin's Press. New York. 1985

(3) Wade Graham, Traffick According To Their Own Caprice: trade and biological exchange in the making of the Pacific World, 1766-1825. Seascapes, Littoral Cultures, and Trans-Oceanic Exchanges. 12-15 Feb. 2003. Library of Congress, Washington D.C., 12 Dec. 2005 <http://www.historycooperative.org/proceedings/seascapes/graham.html>.

(4) Carter, Harold B. Sir Joseph Banks,1743-1820: A guide to Biographical and Bibliographical sources. Saint Paul's Bibliographies. Winchester, UK. 1987.

(5) Aiton, W. Hortus Kewensis: or a catalog of the plants cultivated in the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew. Ed. 2, 5 v. London. Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1810-1813

(6) Miller, Phillip. The gardener's and botanist's dictionary. Thomas Martyn Edition. 1807

(7) Ellis, John. A description of the mangostan and the bread-fruit: the first, esteemed one of the most delicious; the other the most useful of all the fruits in the East Indies, to which are added, directions to voyagers for bringing over these and other vegetable productions, which would be extremely beneficial to our inhabitants of the West India Islands, with figures. 47p., illus. London. 1775

(8) On the cultivation of the mangosteen and nearly allied species, as fruit trees. Paxton's Mag. Bot. 15:205-207, illus. 1849

(9) Garcinia mangostana L. Species Plantarum 1: 443-444. 1753

(10) Mangostana. Garcin, Philos. Trans., 38: t. 1, 1734

(11) Douglas O. Linder, The Mutiny on the Bounty: A Chronology (2004),
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Bounty/bountychronology.html

(12) Aspinall, Algernon. The Bread-Fruit Tree; Introduction into the West Indies. The Times, Thursday, Feb 06, 1936. Pg 10. Issue 47291; column C)(Aspinall, Algernon. prior citation The Times, Saturday, Jan 02, 1932; pg. 6; Issue 46020; col C

(13) Mangosteen. Gard Chron. No. 22, p. 371-372. June 2, 1855

(14) The mangosteen- Garcinia mangostana. Florist, Fruitist, etc.) (Gard Chron. No. 22, p. 371-372. June 2, 1855)

(15) Higgie, W. Fruits of the mangosteen. Gard. Chron. (ser. 3) 12:136. July 30, 1892

(16) The Royal Archives, 31 March, 2005. The Royal Collection Trust, Windsor Castle, Berkshire, UK. Letter from the Registrar (of the Royal Archives) responding to my request for information in their archives. I was attempting unsuccessfully to ascertain if there was any connection between Queen Victoria and the mangosteen.

(17) Hart, J. H. The mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). Trinidad Cent. Agr. Bd. Agr. Rec. 5: 176-177. Nov. 1891.

(18) Prestoe. The mangosteen of Singapore. Gard. Chron. (n. s.) 4: 656-657, illus. 1875

(19) Moore, Lucy. Maharanis. Viking Penguin. 2004

(20) Fairchild, David G. Exploring for plants. Macmillan Company. New York. 1930

(21) Fairchild, D. G. The mangosteen, queen of tropical fruits. Soc. Hort. Sci. Proc. (1903): 14-15. 1905

(22) Fairchild, D. G. The mangosteen. Jour. Hered. 6: 339-347. 1915

(23) Wallace, Alfred Russell. The Malay Archipelago; the land of the orang-utan and the bird of paradise. A narrative of travel, with studies of man and nature. First published in 1869 by Macmillan. London

(24) Burbidge, F. W. The gardens of the sun. Oxford University Press. 1991. First published in 1880 by John Murray, London

(25) Pallegoix, Jean Baptiste. Description of the Thai Kingdom or Siam. P. 67. Translated by Walter E. J. Tips. White Lotus Press. 2000. Originally published as Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam, 2 volumes, 1854, Mission de Siam, Paris

(26) Mouhot, Henri. Travels in Siam, Cambodia, Laos and Annam. White Lotus Press. 2000. Originally published in 1864 by Murray, London

(27) Beccari, Odoardo. Wanderings in the great forests of Borneo; travels and researches of a naturalist in Sarawak. A. Constable & Company. 1904

(28) Mjöberg, Eric. Forest life and adventures in the Malay Archipelago. P.152. William Morrow & Company. New York. 1930

(29) Roxburgh, William. Flora Indica or descriptions of plants. Kessinger Publishing at www.kessinger.net