Mangos are a Powerfood!

I was just eating a super juicy, extraordinary tasting mango and wondered how good were these little fruits for me?  I used to be a little intimidated by "non-traditional" fruits.  Mangos are a traditional fruit in many places and around the world, but in my home growing up, I didn't even know they existed, I was used to grapes and bananas and apples.  When I started shopping for my own family and checking out different varieties of fruits I wasn't sure how to tell a ripe mango from an almost rotten mango.  But after flagging down other people in grocery stores and asking for their advice on how to pick the right fruit I have it down.  My advice to you is, if you don't know about about something, ASK!! It is amazing how much you can learn and how easy it really is to add variety to your diet.  And the key to a healthy diet is variety!

So, about those mangos...

The antioxidant rich nutrients in mangos can offer relief from clogged pores, treat indigestion, promote a balanced hormonal system (yea, ladies, I'm talking to you), help prevent heart disease and cancer!  That's a lot of benefit for a tasty little fruit!

More fun  facts:  there are 1,000 varieties of mangos and they have been consumed by people for over 6,000 years (oh yea, did I mention they are traditional!! haha)

I love eating them on their own, but I also enjoy mango salsa!!

2 ripe mangos, skin removed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dried chili flakes
Handful fresh coriander leaves
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached.  Serve with either fish or tortilla chips (my favorite tortilla chips are Rice Works Sea Salt Chips).