Welcome to What Is Mangosteen, an online resource for the Mangosteen Fruit and related information & products.

Why is the mangosteen on the latest list of popular fruits & berries? Basically because fruits are important in the daily diet as they improve the overall health and immunity of the body. However, it is important to eat the right fruits so that they not only supplement the diet, but are effective in improving the immune system and delaying such things as the aging process. One such fruit that offers all these benefits is the mangosteen fruit.

The mangosteen tree is one that grows erect, but slowly. It has a crown that is pyramid like in shape that can reach up to seventy-five feet in height in about ten years, and is dark brown or almost black in color. It is its inner bark that has the yellow, gummy and bitter latex. The fruit is basically round, has a dark purple skin and a sweet, aromatic taste.

Mangosteen trees do not grow well in limestone, but seem to thrive in deep, rich organic soil. In India, mangosteen trees are grown on clay containing coarse material and some silt. Being a tropical fruit, the mangosteen tree does not survive at temperatures lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The mangosteen fruit is about the size of a tangerine but has a rind like a pomegranate. It is small in size and purple in color, and is referred to as the 'Queen of the Fruits' because of its many benefits and qualities.

The mangosteen belongs to a family of plants called Guttiferae, which consists mainly of tropical trees and shrubs secreting a yellow, resinous juice. Although the mangosteen is now a popular fruit, not much is actually known about where it was first cultivated. Some experts argue that its origin lies in Moluccas (an archipelago in Indonesia) while others say that the mangosteen tree originates from Thailand or Burma.

However, for many years the mangosteen plant has been transported from Singapore to Kolkatta and China for its medicinal benefits. It is the xanthones that are found mostly in the peel and hull of the mangosteen fruit that are the most beneficial part of the plant.

In fact, each xanthone of the mangosteen plant has a special effect on the body and it has been found that there are a minimum of forty xanthones located in the pericarp or rind of mangosteens. This gives an idea as to how many xanthones the mangosteen has, and why it is the product which has the most xanthones known in the world.

There are many products on the market today that are made using the mangosteen fruit and claiming mangosteen health benefits, with a few of the most popular ones being the delicious dietary supplement, Xango juice, Vemma mangosteen juice and Thai Go.

Xango Juice is prepared using a proprietary formula and the many benefits of this juice have made it one of the most sought after nutritional supplement in the world. The mangosteen fruit and the xanthones in its pericarp are what make the Vemma mangosteen juice strong in antioxidants. Thai Go is a mangosteen juice that was introduced in 2004 and is still a top seller. Its main ingredient is obviously mangosteen, but it includes other ingredients such as red grapes, grape seeds, wolfberry, blueberries, apple extract, raspberries and green tea.