Mango (Mangifera indica L.), known as the king of fruits, has an attractive taste and fragrance and high nutritional value. Mango is commercially important in India, where ~55% of the global crop is produced. The fruit has three main parts: pulp, peel, and kernel. The pulp is the most-consumed part, while the peel and kernel are usually discarded. Mango pulp is a source of a variety of reducing sugars, amino acids, aromatic compounds, and functional compounds, such as pectin, vitamins, anthocyanins, and polyphenols. Mango processing generates peels and kernels as bio-wastes, though they also have nutraceutical significance. Functional compounds in the peel, including protocatechuic acids, mangiferin and β-carotene are known for their antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. The mango kernel has higher antioxidant and polyphenolic contents than the pulp and peel and is used for oil extraction; it's possible usage in combination with corn and wheat flour in preparing nutraceuticals is being increasingly emphasized. This review aims to provide nutraceutical and pharmacological information on all three parts of mango to help understand the defense mechanisms of its functional constituents, and the appropriate use of mangoes to enhance our nutrition and health.
Keywords: health benefits; mango byproducts; nutraceutical composition; tropical fruit.