Forbidden Fruit… “THE MANGOSTEEN”
“The story of the world’s most coveted and sought after fruit… and why acquiring one could land you in the slammer!”

Thailand, August, 2003 - Dawn breaks over the jungles of Southeast Asia and begins to burn away the morning mists. The street side produce markets are already bustling with activity, for today is special. In these tropical climates, most fruits and vegetables are available any time of year, but today markets are humming with anticipation of glimpsing the one fruit that is only available twice a year and is prized above all others.

The World’s Most Exotic Fruit!

For countless generations, the people of Southeast Asia have valued the mangosteen above all other fruits. These are people intimately acquainted with all of the plants in the rainforest. There are literally millions of varieties of plants and botanicals in the world, yet only the mangosteen holds the honor of being referred to as the “Queen of Fruits”.

Why does the mangosteen deserve such a title? Maybe its the role the mangosteen played in ancient Southeast Asian medicine. Traditionally, the whole mangosteen fruit was used to control fever and ward off infections of every kind. The indigenous people of the Asian rainforests understood then, as they still know today, the tremendous healing power of the mangosteen plant, especially the outer rind or pericarp.

But the people of early Southeast Asia were not all that different from us. Even though they recognized and valued the medicinal benefits of the mangosteen, what really caught their fancy was the taste! And you thought things that were good for you had to taste bad, right? David Karp, writer for Gourmet Magazine describes the flavor of the mangosteen best in a recent article in the July 2003 issue called Meet the Mangosteens.

Mr. Karp states, “I cut open a thick rind to reveal six snowy white, almost translucent segments that were like little eggs nestled in a jewel box. The flavor was almost unbearably exquisite – a sweet-tart melding of elegance and opulence that had echoes of fruit of every climate. Think of cherimoyas, lychees, and peaches mingled into one soft, moist, fragrant mouthful. I understood at last why many people consider mangosteen the finest fruit in the world-and why Queen Victoria is said to have offered a knighthood to anybody who could bring her one.”

–David Karp, The Fruit Detective, Meet the Mangosteens,
Gourmet Magazine, July 2003, pp. 88-89

Mangosteen: The “Queen of Fruits”

Almost unheard of in the temperate zones of North America and Europe, the mangosteen has been treasured for centuries by inhabitants of the tropical Asian rainforests. Throughout the world, it is known as the “Queen of Fruits”. Even in the Caribbean it is referred to as the “Fruit of the Gods”. Limited to tropical zones with abundant rainfall, the mangosteen tree takes 8-10 years to mature and bear fruit. Fully mature trees can be up to 80 feet tall, and may produce thousands of individual fruits each year. About the size of a tangerine, the ripe mangosteen has a smooth, dark purple rind encasing snow-white fruit. Unlike other tropical fruits that have an acquired taste, mangosteen has a flavor that appeals to everyone from the first taste.

Can Mangosteen Replace Daily Vitamins?

While most people know about the antioxidant benefits of Vitamins C and E as antioxidants, far fewer are aware of the incredible power of xanthones*, chemical compounds found in nature with many times the antioxidant levels of vitamine C or E. Xanthones have recently won high praise from numerous scientists and researchers for their medicinal potential, since they demonstrate a number of pharmaceutical properties:

- Supports balance in every system of the body
- Builds and maintains immune system health
- Promotes joint flexibility and pain relief
- Provides positive mental support

The whole fruit of the mangosteen represents the single greatest known supply of these tremendously beneficial xanthones. The pericarp, or rind, of the mangosteen is particularly rich in xanthones*, which represent the next generation of powerful phytonutrients. In fact, recent scientific studies on human patients suggest the xanthones may offer support to every system of the body and a healthy alternative to many conventional treatments.

*Search for scientific research on Xanthones and Mangosteen at www.pubmed.org

Is The Mangosteen Medicine?

One Medical Doctor actually uses a mangosteen food supplement in his full-time medical practice. He became so enthusiastic about his results with his patients that he recently published a book on the benefits of the mangosteen plant and its extremely wide range of health applications.

“Mangosteen extract has multiple health benefits. This simple fact is both its greatest asset and its greatest liability. Unfortunately, many people will never try it because of its claims of effects across the full spectrum health concerts. They say, 'No one product can do all that!' But my patients know better... The Mangosteen Works!”

–J. Frederic Templeman, MD,
Author of “Mangosteen, The X-Factor”

“This is the police, we have you surrounded! Put the fruit down and come out with your hands up!”

Could acquiring a Mangosteen in the US mean JAIL TIME? Although readily available in season throughout Southeast Asia, until now the mangosteen fruit in its whole, fresh form has never been commercially available in the United States. Why? Because the mangosteen is ILLEGAL in the US - banned from import because it can host agricultural pests. However, thousands of hopeful consumers may get their opportunity to sample this delicacy very soon.

“On the Big Island of Hawaii, farmers turned entrepre-neurs are growing what legions of fans consider the holy grail of fruitdom.”
–David Karp, Gourmet Mag.

That’s right! Farmers are now overseeing the first commercial mangosteen harvest in the US and the birth of a lucrative and much needed new industry in Hawaii. Now that mangosteens are being harvested under US Agricultural standards, we could see the Mangosteen in all 50 states soon.

Is the Mangosteen Tree a Money Tree?

Some entrepreneurs are betting on it! Thousands of independent business owners are already jumping on the mangosteen bandwagon by offering various types of mangosteen juice in varying degrees of concentration and quality. One company, a direct sales/network marketing company in Draper, Utah, has already reported revenues of $3,000,000 per month in revenues in only 8 months marketing a proprietary blend of mangosteen juice concentrate. The new food supplement, XanGo™, is touted to have all of the benefits of the mangosteen fruit, much of the taste, and all of the sizzle.

Coming Soon to a Fruit Stand Near You!

The mangosteen whole fruit may not be available in the US today, but eager consumers are getting really ‘juiced’ to try this delicacy without flying to Thailand to get one. So keep your eyes ‘peeled’ for more exciting news on WHEN and WHERE the very first mangosteen fruits will be sold in the continental US. Be sure to join our mailing list so you can be the first to hear the exciting news.

For more information and to join our “Mangosteen Mailing List”, contact Mangosteen Researcher and Marketer Daren Falter at (360) 491-7551 daren@dcfalter.com