Health Benefits of Mangosteen Juice
What Is Mangosteen?
The mangosteen is a tropical fruit native to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand and cultivated in India and Brazil for American importers. The fruit is the same size as an apple. Its thick, purple rind encases a juicy, sweet cover and five to seven large seeds. The pulp tastes like that of a pineapple or peach and has a reputation of being very delicious. In Asia it is known as the queen of fruits for both its flavor and economic importance.
How Is Mangosteen Juice Made?
Rather than just extract the juice, mangosteen juice manufacturers liquefy the rind, seeds, and flesh of the mangosteen and then pasteurize the juice. Most of mangosteen's health benefits are found in the rind or hull, so the entire fruit is used to make the juice. It is bottled and sold as a miracle drink, because it contains unprecedented amounts of xanthones and antioxidants. Mangosteen juice is also known as xango juice. It is rich in vitamin B1, C, B2, B6, iron, potassium, and calcium. The rind can be dried out and made into powder. Substances also are extracted from the bark. Mangosteen supplements come in tablet and capsule form. In the Philippines and in Asia, the rind is steeped to make tea.
The company Xango was the first to manufacture mangosteen as a supplement. Currently, Xango is seeking patents on its juice and has already received one patent on their method of processing of mangosteen juice.
Health Benefits Of Mangosteen Juice
A mangosteen product called Vemma combines the antioxidant power of the fruit with plant-sourced minerals, vitamins, decaffeinated organic green tea, and organic glyconutrient-rich aloe vera. Vemma retains mangosteen's superfruit nutritional qualities.
The way to obtain the maximum benefit from the mangosteen fruit is to drink the juice. The body absorbs the juice form more quickly than it could absorb fresh or dried fruit.
Promoters of mangosteen state that it supports microbiological balance, aids the immune system, improves joint flexibility, provides mental support, helps diarrhea, tuberculosis, infections, and many other illnesses. The antioxidants in mangosteen can delay the process of aging and make skin look healthier. In a laboratory study, mangosteen slowed the growth of some cancer cells. A study in rats showed that the mangosteen's rind might lower the risk of growth of cancer cells in the bowel. Mangosteen also was found to act as an anti-inflammatory.
Folk healers make a salve or ointment for the skin to heal injuries, eczema, and infections. They boil the bark and leaves to make medicinal drinks or for mixing with other herbs and applying to wounds. Women having menstrual problems can boil the root to make a drink remedy.
About Mangosteen
Despite its name, the mangosteen is not a relative of the mango. It belongs to a group called the Guttiferae, a family made up of tropical shrubs and trees that secrete a yellow acrid resinous juice.
In the 1800s, botanists took seeds to America and Europe. Great attempts to grow the 18-foot tall trees in the Caribbean, Africa, and Central America failed. The mangosteen tree is ultra-tropical and extremely sensitive. Seedlings in a nursery die at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. A tree grown in Florida yielded one fruit and died. Because of its frailty and specific growth requirements, mangosteen fruit must be imported to the United States. It grows very slowly and usually takes ten years to reach maturity.
Recommended Dosage
The recommended dosage of mangosteen varies according to individual needs, but the general recommendation is between 1 and 3 ounces daily. Cancer patients can increase their dosage to 8 ounces. Studies conducted in rats show that an overdose is virtually impossible. Mangosteen juice should be taken with food or within half an hour of a meal, because mangosteen is fat-soluble.
Studies have shown that dividing the mangosteen serving up into 3 doses per day is more effective than just taking it once daily, due to mangosteen's half-life, which is the period during which half of mangosteen's elements remain in the tissue and blood. If the half-life is 5 hours, then after this amount of time, half of the mangosteen in the tissue or blood will be gone, and the other half will be gone totally in the following 5 hours if no more is consumed. For the maximum benefit, mangosteen should be consumed a few times daily.
Mangosteen Side Effects?
Mangosteen products are sold as dietary supplements in the U.S. Supplement manufacturers do not have to pass a review by the Food and Drug Administration to test safety and effectiveness, as long as no claims are made that the products can treat, prevent, or cure specific diseases. Some products may not have the exact amount of substance or herb that is on the label, and some may also include additional substances. Amounts of mangosteen per dose can differ between brands or even between batches. Most supplements are not tested for drug, food, or herb interactions. However, only one serious case of an adverse reaction possibly involving mangosteen juice has been reported. A person who used mangosteen juice daily developed lactic acidosis, which is acidic blood caused by buildup of a sugar metabolism byproduct. Since mangosteen juice is very popular, and because most users have not developed lactic acidosis, the doctors suggested that the problem may have been caused by an interaction between mangosteen and other drugs he was taking.
Allergies can possibly develop, as with any plant. Due to antioxidant effects, mangosteen supplements can lessen the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. People receiving treatment for cancer should always consult their doctors before taking a mangosteen supplement. Patients should always tell their doctor about any supplements and herbs they are taking. Relying only on supplements and delaying or avoiding conventional medical cancer care could have dire health consequences.
Where Can You Buy Mangosteen Juice?
Mangosteen is sold in the U.S. mostly via a network marketing system, wherein independent distributors instead of stores buy and sell the mangosteen juice. Many health food stores on the internet also offer mangosteen products. The following are a few websites from which you may buy mangosteen products:
www.xango.com
www.vemma.com
www.HerbsPro.com
www.WellnessResources.com
www.SuperOrganicFoods.com
www.amazon.com
06.01.2011. 07:10
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