National Mango Day Date in the current year: July 22, 2024

A mango is a fruit of the tree Mangifera indica that is native to Bangladesh and parts of India and Myanmar. It has been cultivated in South and Southeast Asia for millennia. Because of this, all existing mango cultivars (and there are hundreds of them!) can be divided into two large types: the subtropical Indian type and the tropical Southeast Asian type.

Today, the mango is cultivated extensively in tropical and subtropical areas around the globe. The world’s top producers of mangoes are India, Indonesia, China, Mexico, Pakistan, and Brazil. Almost half of the world’s mangoes are cultivated in India, but most of them are consumed domestically. India’s participation in the international mango trade is minimal.

A mango is a fleshy stone fruit that can be orange, yellow, red, or green, depending on the cultivar. Mangoes are typically sweet and juicy, but their degree of sweetness also depends on the cultivar. Ripe mangoes have a distinctive resinous smell with sweet notes.

The most popular mango cultivar in the regions where mangoes are not grown is Tommy Atkins. Although this cultivar isn’t the best in terms of taste profile, it is easy to handle and transport, as well as has a long shelf life, which makes it the preferred cultivar for import.

Mango fruits contain sugars, dietary fiber, carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein), B vitamins, vitamins C, E and K, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc. The only nutrients that mangoes contain in significant amounts as far as the daily value is concerned are vitamin C (44% of the DV per 100 g) and folate (11% of the DV per 100 g).

Mangoes are widely used in many national cuisines to make both sweet and savory dishes. For example, in Bengali cuisine, they are a common ingredient in chutneys (relishes), daals (soups and stews made from pulses), and lassis (yogurt-based drinks). Around the world, mangoes are used to make juices, nectars, ice cream, smoothies, milkshakes, and various desserts ranging from fruit salads to cakes.

National Mango Day was first celebrated in India, although it is unclear who invented the holiday or why the date of July 22 was chosen for it. Over the past years, it has also been widely celebrated in the United States due to efforts of the National Mango Board, a national promotion and research organization that unites mango growers, shippers, distributors, marketers, and other stakeholders.

There are many ways for you to observe National Mango Day. You can learn more about this amazing fruit and it many varieties, order a mango dish at your favorite restaurant or cook one yourself, invite your friends over for a mango-themed party, and spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtag #NationalMangoDay.