THE FRUIT

The mangosteen (no relation to the mango) grows on small evergreen trees in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and southern India. Some farmers are trying their luck in Hawaii and the Caribbean, but the fruit is known for being difficult to grow. The mangosteen is a round, purple fruit slightly smaller than a tennis ball. The flavor of the flesh? It's really not like anything else you may have tasted, so do not take comparisons too literally. The mangosteen has flavors that range from strawberry to peach, to vanilla ice cream - it is definitely sweet tempered with a very slight sourness. The flavor is divine and wonderfully delicate.

The Whole Fruit Mangosteen juice is made by liquefying the seeds, rind, and/or flesh of the Southeast Asian mangosteen. This creates the dark purplish-burgundy color and is important as the anti-oxidants and anti-inflammitory properties are found in the rind (pericarp), not the flesh.