How to Eat a Mango

Co-authored by Andrea Lawson Gray

Last Updated: October 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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Though mangoes only grow in warm climates, they are enjoyed all over the world because they are sweet, delicious, and a perfect snack or addition to any meal. Before you eat your mango, you should be aware of the many ways to eat it. Follow these tips to enhance your mango experience.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Prepare the Mango

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1
Make sure the mango is ripe. If you push your fingers into it and they leave a dent, then the mango is ready to eat. Use the same method as you would to tell if an avocado or pear is ripe.^{[1]
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- If you touch the mango and it remains firm, then leave it out for a few days until it's ready. If you eat a mango that isn't ripe, it'll taste hard and bitter, and you don't want to waste a good mango, especially because they can get expensive.
The mango should be clean even if you plan on peeling the skin.^{[2]
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3
Gather materials. To cube or slice your mango, you'll need a knife, a cutting board, and a bowl for your mango cubes or slices.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Eat Cubed Mango

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Cut the mango. Cut the mango into halves or thirds while avoiding the large pit. Then, make vertical cuts on the piece you're holding. Be careful not to cut through the skin. Now make horizontal cuts to create a checkered pattern. Grasp the skin on the back of the half and push it forward.^{[3]
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- The chunks you cut should come out, making the mango piece look like a flower.
- Next, just pull off the mango chunks.
- If they don't come off, use a knife to slice them off into a bowl or a spoon to scrape them off.
2
Eat the cubed mango on its own. Place the cubed mango in a bowl, grab a spoon, and enjoy! If you want to save the cubed mango for later, put it in Tupperware, but recognize that it's best enjoyed fresh and will get soggy if you put it away for a while.
- Add a touch of lemon juice to the mango for zest.
3
Put the mango cubes in a fruit salad. Cubed mango can be a fantastic addition to any fruit salad. If you don't want the salad to be overwhelmed by mango juice, drain the mango chunks before adding them to the salad. Here are some suggestions for making a delicious mango salad:^{[4]
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- Make a salad with papaya, apples, and cantaloupe.
- Make a salad from mangos and pineapples. Add a pinch of cinnamon for flavor.
- Make a salad of mangos, pears, and a few cherries sliced in half.
- Eat a salad of mangos and oranges with a touch of lime juice.
4
Use the mango cubes to add spice to a main course. Though you may think mangos work best in fruit salads and desserts because of their sweet and juicy flavor, they can add a perfect kick to almost any main course. Here are a few examples of ways to use mango chunks in main courses:^{[5]
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- Create mango salsa just with papaya, avocado, a little bit of lemon juice, and some cilantro. You can put the salsa over chicken, beef, or shrimp, or just use it for potato or plantain chips.
- Put the cubes of mango in a burrito.
- Use the mango in Caribbean rice or any other foods with a Caribbean flavor.
5
Put the mango cubes in a dessert. Mangos are naturally sweet and would work well in many desserts. Here are some suggestions:^{[6]
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- Put cubes of mango into yogurt.
- Put cubes of mango into ice cream.
- Put the cubes of mango into rice pudding along with some raisins.
- You can put the cubes on top of these desserts, or stir them in.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Eat Sliced Mango

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Slice the mango. Before you slice a mango, be aware that it has a large pit the shape of a giant almond in the center. Slice the mango as you would an apple, but take care to avoid the pit. Cut wedges into the mango that are no more than an inch thick.^{[7]
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- Once you're done slicing, you should have several slices of mango with the skin still on, and a pit that still has some skin on it. Here's what to do next:
  - If you just want to eat the mango, pick up the slices by the skin and eat them. You can try to eat some of the looser skin around the pit, but don't eat the skin too close to the pit because it can be stubborn and will get stuck in your teeth worse than corn-on-the-cob.
  - If you want to peel the mango, you can pick up the slices by the skin and gently scoop them out with a spoon. If the pieces aren't ripe enough for that, use a knife.
2
Add the sliced mango to a variety of foods. Though cubed mango is a bit more versatile, fresh sliced mango can spice up many ordinary meals, from desserts to main courses. Make the most of your sliced mango by adding it to the following foods:^{[8]
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- Thai mango salad
- Sweet and spicy chicken
- Chicken with lime and cilantro
- Beef teriyaki
- Mango, corn, and black bean stew
- Mango and pineapple pie
To do this, cut the mango into thin slices and dry the pieces to get dried mango.^{[9]
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Research source} For a sour tang, mix the pieces in a ziplock bag with li hing mui powder, or a small amount of citric acid.

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Question

Can you just bite into a mango?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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You can bite straight into a mango, provided the skin is washed but it’s best to avoid eating the peel because it’s tough and doesn’t taste very nice. Also, it may cause an allergic reaction due to its urushiol content. If you want to bite into the mango and enjoy the flesh, cut away some of the peel first, then enjoy eating the exposed flesh down to the peel but discard the peel (and also avoid the pit).

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What happens if you eat a mango, then drink water right after?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Normally, nothing much happens, other than the commencement of digestion. However, some people find that drinking water after eating fruit can cause a queasy feeling. If this happens to you, it can sometimes help to hold off drinking water for half an hour to an hour after consuming fruit. Stories about fruit and water causing flatulence and pain are a myth in most cases.

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Is it okay to eat green mangoes?

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Yes, it is okay to eat green or unripe mangoes in small amounts and scientific studies have even shown certain benefits can be found in unripe mangoes, such as helping improve digestion and constipation, helping with gastrointestinal problems and overcoming minor dehydration. You can also use green mangoes to cook with, such as adding to a stir-fry or making pickled mango, salsa or a green mango chutney (this last one is especially well known in India). If you want to ripen them though, check out the wikiHow: How to Ripen Mangoes.

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Tips

Use the side of a large mouthed glass cup to help separate the skin from the mango after cutting it in halves.^{[10]
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You can also puree mangos to make delicious smoothies, or alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks.

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You can peel a mango like a banana. Peel from the top, eat a portion of fruit separated from the skin, then continue to peel and rotate as you eat your way down the mango.

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