THE ELIXIR – UPTOWN SOUL FOOD: MANGOES

BY Eileen Z. Fuentes

Have you ever gone to the Doctor and been recommended a diet of SOUL food?  Well, I am here to give you the green light and encourage you to do this as much as possible.  So what is SOUL food?  It might not be exactly what you think…SOUL food can be defined as foods that are:

Seasonal

Organic

Unprocessed

Local

As Uptown Collective’s wellness contributor, I will do my part to inform you of the hidden gems right in your neighborhood. The first treasure can be found abundantly in this area and is one of my personal favorites.  It is the mouthwatering and flavorful mango.  There are not too many things in life that can compare to this exceptional fruit.  While it may not be grown locally, it does encompass many of the other qualities that one should look for when going on the quest for SOUL food.  The mango is a tropical fruit that thrives naturally in warm climates. It appears on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen list at #5, giving us permission to shop for the conventional/cheaper (as compared to the organic) variety.  It also is a food that has not been processed in any way and is in its natural state.

Mangoes have many qualities that support our health and well-being. They are low in calories, high in dietary fiber, and loaded with vitamins and minerals.  The marvelous mango is a great germ fighter; it detoxifies the liver and can drastically improve your complexion. Recent studies have proven that mangoes work directly to fight the western world’s (as well as our community’s) biggest killers; heart disease, cancer and diabetes. There’s nothing I love more than when science supports what our grandmothers have been saying all along. I just came across an article by Dr. Brian Clement, Director of the Hippocrates Health Institute that rated the energy level in our food and how it coorelates with the production of healthy cells…well guess what folks, mangoes in it’s ripe state, was rated a five-star food, the highest rating along with other powerhouse edibles including algae, wheatgrass and sea vegetables. I don’t know about you but I much more prefer a mango over these any day.  So go ahead my lovely locals, stop by your corner bodega and savor one (or more) of these scrumptious superfoods before they disappear for the season.