What is mangosteen

Just to be clear: it is a mangosteen and not a mango,
two completely different types of fruit. Mangostan

The mangosteen (also called mangostan or mangistan, or Garcinia mangostana, its scientific name) is exotic, delicious and grows primarily in Southeast Asia and other tropical areas.

A mangosteen is just as big as a mandarin and is often called “The Queen of Fruits”.

The peel is dark purple, very bitter and full of xanthones and phytonutrients *.  The pulp is white.  It consists of 4 to 8 segments and has a fantastic taste.

The mangosteen is delicious, but that is not everything, the whole fruit (especially the peel) is very beneficial for general wellbeing because of the high xanthone concentrations.

The peel of the mangosteen has been used and is still being used for many purposes by the local population in Southeast Asia:

  • It is peeled, dried and ground to make a powder and administered as a herbal preparation
  • It is left to soak in water for 12 hours and then drunk as tea
  • An ointment is made of it and used as a lotion topically


The mangosteen has been used for generations in countries where it is grown as a means of treating pain and inflammation, as well as diarrhoea, infections, fever, etc.

When the Europeans discovered Southeast Asia, the folklore surrounding the mangosteen penetrated European culture for the first time.

However it was only when XanGo introduced XanGo® juice in 2002 that the world-wide recognition and acceptance of the mangosteen began on Western markets such as the US, Canada and Western Europe.

(*) Phytonutrients is a generic name for different types of plant ingredients.  They frequently influence the colour and taste of fruit, vegetables, plants and seeds.

What are xanthones?

Xanthones are also called adaptogens: substances that have the unique quality of helping the body to regulate itself in many different ways.

They have a particularly strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect.  We have known for years that antioxidants play an important role in limiting the harmful effects of free radicals.

Free radicals cause damage to cells, so can play a role in chronic, degenerative diseases, for instance rheumatism or Parkinson’s.

Approximately 200 xanthones have been recorded world-wide.  The mangostan contains about 50 different xanthones among which Alpha Mangostin and Gamma Mangostin, the two most powerful xanthones found in nature to date.  They are naturally antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory.

 

What are Free Radicals?

A free radical is an atom or a molecule with a still unused bonding possibility.

These unused bonding possibilities are like a type of hook that wants to latch on to something.  They harm other molecules because they pull electrons loose with their hook.  Free radicals are also called biochemical terrorists.  They undermine everything.


How do free radicals come about?

Free radicals are the so-called by-products of normal metabolism.

In protein conversion, cell division, energy production, in short, all the processes that are necessary to keep a body going oxygen is used up and free radicals are released to a varying degree.  These free radicals are to be viewed as relatively unavoidable.

Another cause of free radicals is our environment: radiation, air pollution, medication, residual pesticides on food, strenuous effort, alcohol use, stress, heavy metals, etc.    When assimilating and dealing with all these influences the body also produces free radicals (as a by-product).  These free radicals can be seen as relatively avoidable, because at the end of the day you need not consume large amounts of alcohol and you can eat organic potatoes.

What do free radicals do exactly and what kind of harm do they cause?

  • They are considered to be the primary cause of premature ageing, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
  • They damage the unsaturated fat molecules, which are part of the cell membrane.  The result is a chain reaction because a damaged fatty acid molecule eventually becomes a free radical.
  • They can harm the DNA in the cell nucleus and this can cause a disruption of the cellular metabolism which can result in cell mutation (cancer).
  • They can damage the membranes of the lysosomes, the cell’s waste disposal installation.  This releases aggressive substances from the lysosomes which damage the cell.
  • They oxidate cholesterol.  Our body needs cholesterol for the cell membranes and the making of certain hormones.  Cholesterol oxidation can cause arteriosclerosis.

  • They make cross-connections in collagen fibres.  The connective tissue loses its suppleness that way.  Blood vessels consequently become tough and vulnerable.

  • They damage certain enzymes that the body needs as the building blocks for certain processes.