Originally from South Asia, mangoes made their way across the tropics and into America in 1880. Today, mangoes are the most commonly eaten fruit in the world, with India being the greatest supplier. It’s a stone fruit, meaning it has one hard seed surrounded by tasty fruit. Peaches, cherries, and plums are all stone fruits as well.  Choose mangoes based on aroma and touch rather than appearance. A ripe mango smells sweet and rich and is slightly soft. Color has less to do with ripeness, as this can vary depending on the type of mango.
In America, we get mangoes from a lot of different countries across Central and South America, to include Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Brazil, and Haiti, as well as from our own backyard in California and Florida. What does this mean? Due to varying growth calendars, we can pretty much have mangoes all year round!
The fruit of the mango tree is juicy and tastes great. The plant comes from the Asian tropics. It is easily cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of the planet. Ecuador's climate is beneficial for mango cultivation and the country produces about 30,000 tons per year. The mango fruit contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, with an abundance of vitamins C and B6. The mango is called a super-fruit by researchers and nutritionists because of its wide variety of beneficial substances. The maximum volume of fruit harvested in Ecuador reaches its peak in December - the month during which countries in the tropics do not have as much supply. The intense red colour, characteristic of the 'Tommy Atkins' mango variety, is highly appreciated by North American consumers. Ecuador, which produces mangos of this variety, is among the main suppliers for this market. Mango cultivation covers an area of approximately 7,700 hectares, with the following exportable varieties: Tommy Atkins (65%), Haden, Kent and Keitt available from October to January.