SULU PROVINCE REMAINS the biggest source of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) in the South and with tons of fruit harvest annually, local officials have turned the season into a grand festival.
The 2nd Mangosteen Festival which was recently held in the Capitol Ground in Patikul town attracted a huge number of visitors wanting to taste the many kinds of delicacies made from the exotic tropical fruit.
Governor Sakur Tan led the opening of the festival which showcased different products made from Mangosteen by each of the municipalities. The Mangosteen jam manufactured by “Sulu Originals” was the best seller.
The festival, which was started by then Governor Toto Tan – now the deputy governor – is much awaited not only in Sulu, but in Mindanao because of the huge supply of the purple fruit that even manufacturers of health supplements get their Mangosteen here. And this prompted younger Tan to embark on a festival which saw various delectable products made from mangosteen – from jam to ice cream and tea and coffee, and even a potent tonic drink.
“Sulu’s Mangosteen is the best because of our fertile lands and the love we exert in maintaining our farms. There is love and dedication, and even during harvest time, everybody is out there and picking ripe mangosteen, and that is why it is the best,” Tan said, adding, the “festival is a great way to bring opportunities, possibilities and celebrate what is part of our very own landscape.”
Tan is also one of the forefronts in the promotion of mangosteen products and has encouraged health companies which are into mangosteen supplements to put up production plants in the province to cut high cost of shipping fruit cargoes to Manila or other parts of the country.
Sulu’s mangosteen jam is getting good reviews from food and dessert aficionados. The festival, according to Tan, also featured other non-mangosteen food products. According to the website Organic Facts, health benefits of mangosteen include a reduced risk of cancer, inflammation, allergies, and diabetes.
It has antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial properties which help in protecting the body against various ailments and also boosts the immune system. Mangosteen is also beneficial in maintaining healthy skin, weight management, and providing relief from diarrhea and dysentery.
The popular website – organicfacts.net – also cited Sulu, saying that mangosteen does not have many varieties, except for the one which is found in the province and its islands. “It seems that the people of Southeast Asia realized the medicinal value that this fruit had a long time ago. Relying on it as a form of treatment for different medical conditions is the reason why scientists have continuously carried out studies and research to confirm these healing allegations. So far the benefits of this fruit have been proven scientifically over the past 3 decades,” it added.
Mangosteen is a healthy fruit, which is rich in water, energy, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and manganese are found in this fruit. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, it contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin A which are required for maintaining good health. Other vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, folic acid, carotene, and cryptoxanthin are also found in it. (Zamboanga Post and Mindanao Examiner)
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