I had been hearing about mangosteen fruit for a while now as a healthy supplement. It is said to be rich in antioxidants and minerals. I am not one for taking a lot of supplements but when I saw dried Mangosteen at Trader Joe’s I couldn’t resist giving it a try.

They were offering a sample of it and when I popped it in my mouth, I realized how unique it is. It is slightly tart and the giant seeds give it some crunch and an extra nutty flavor. Because I am not familiar with it, I have no idea how to cook with it. For now, I am  enjoying eating it out of the bag.

However, I realized that I am missing out on what the fruit is about by eating it in the dried state. Fresh mangosteens are supposed to be fleshy and soft- they sound delicious. I think I heard somewhere that they may start coming over to the US soon. I was thinking of learning some mangosteen oriented recipes. I was going to try to do it with the dried mangosteen fruits but I think I’ll wait and see if I can find them in its fresh form.

So what makes them so good for you? Now, I’ve seen it marketed as a weight loss supplement. Do I believe it to have magic weight loss potential? No, there’s no such thing. Diet and exercise are the most important elements for weight loss.

However, I do believe that it can indirectly help with a variety of health complaints because it is a very nutrient rich food. It is known for being high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When eating food that has a high nutrient density it is very beneficial to your body.

Me? I don’t worry about that. I am itching to try the fresh fruit and find some creative ways to cook with it.

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