The mangosteen fruit consists of a deep purplish rind, a succulent white pulp (four to eight segments), and between one and five seeds. The mangosteen fruit rind, while typically bitter, contains xanthones and other compounds that demonstrate impressive health benefits. The pulp, on the other hand, is pure taste-bud bliss—a sensational flavor unlike any other.
"The mangosteen outranks in delicacy, if not all other fruits in the world, certainly all others of the tropical zone. I admit it is a joy to the eye as well as to the palate to feast on mangosteens."
—David Fairchild, PhD., agricultural explorer, botanist and author.
Mangosteen Fruit Facts
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To select the best table fruit, choose the mangosteen with the highest number of stigma lobes at the apex (the "bottom" of the fruit). This fruit will have the highest number of fleshy segments and the fewest seeds.
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Each serving of mangosteen contains up to 5 grams of fiber.
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The entire fruit is typically 1-3" in diameter—roughly the size of a tangerine.
The rind (or skin) of the mangosteen is 1/4-3/8" thick and contains a purplish pigment that has been used as a dye.
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Fully developed seeds lose viability just 5 days after removal from the fruit.
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Some people boil, roast, and eat the mangosteen seeds—which are also believed to contain unique properties.
Garcinia Mangostana
The mangosteen fruit is known in the scientific/botanical world as Garcinia Mangostana L.—named after the French priest and explorer Laurentiers Garcin who studied and diagramed the mangosteen in 1693.
Other Names for Garcinia Mangostana
The mangosteen (Garcinia Mangostana) also answers to similar names in other communities. Heres a taste of the language and location variations:
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