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We've all heard the news for years about
how important it is to get the right amount of antioxidants in order to keep
our bodies healthy and ward of disease. Now there's a new classification of
antioxidants called xanthones, first discovered in the mangosteen fruit,
which are poised to be one of the biggest discoveries of modern science in
terms of health benefits.
While the concept of antioxidants may seem even more confusing when adding
in another aspect, xanthones are fairly easy to understand, given their
clear-cut, scientifically-proven benefits.
What are Xanthones?
Technically put, xanthones are a set of chemical compounds that can be
synthetically produced, but are more often found and more potent in their
natural settings. Xanthones are powerful antioxidants in a family of
phytonutrients.
To date, researchers have discovered and classified approximately 200
xanthones, 40 of which are found in the mangosteen fruit. As a matter of
fact, xanthones were first discovered when scientists began studying the
health benefits of mangosteen based on its traditional indigenous medical
uses.
Research into the medicinal properties of xanthones found in the mangosteen
began in the 1970s, and gradually picked up pace as scientists began finding
more exciting nutritional properties. Between 1996 and 2005, an exponential
amount of research has been done in regards to mangosteen and its xanthones,
and even more studies are in the works.
Xanthones in Mangosteen
To recap, xanthones are powerful antioxidants, and out of the 200 xanthones
known to science, 40 of them are found in mangosteen.
But what do the antioxidant properties of the xanthones in mangosteen do for
you? Antioxidants function as a balance for free radicals in the body. Free
radicals are potentially harmful, yet oftentimes natural substances in your
body that, when left free reign, build up and cause diseases like cancer,
heart disease, and more.
The xanthones function to travel through your body, literally mopping up the
free radicals on their way, leaving your body cleaner and healthier than
before.
Some of the most important xanthones found in mangosteen include:
Alpha-mangostin
Beta-mangostin
Gamma-mangostin
Garcinone
Garcinone A
Garcinone C
Garcinone D
Mangostanol
Gartanin
These, among other xanthones, have been touted by independent researchers to
have properties to include antiinflammatory, anticonvulsant, antiallergic,
antitumor, and antiplatelet, to name just a few.
Known Benefits of Xanthones
Scientific research has made it abundantly clear that no other fruit
compares in its health benefits to mangosteen, due to its xanthones and
other nutritional properties.
Helping to fight cancer is just one of the many properties that different
xanthones perform. For instance, one study performed in Japan showed that
the xanthone alpha-mangostin had apparent properties that suppressed the
development of tumors. Another, performed in China, found the xanthone
garcinone E to show significant anticancer effects in terms of liver, lung,
and gastric cancer cells.
In addition, some xanthones have shown significant antimicrobial effects in
terms of fighting MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), which
is a bacterial strain known for its tenacious resistance to pharmacologic
antibiotics. One scientific study also showed that alpha-mangostin, beta-mangostin,
and garcinone B to have pronounced inhibition effects on a strain of
tuberculosis.
As if that isn't enough, xanthones have also been scientifically proven to
help lower LDL, the bad cholesterol, by protecting the LDL from coming into
contact with free radicals, thus leaving it unable to oxidize and attach to
arterial walls and cause atherosclerosis.
Taking into account the anticancer, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and
cholesterol-lowering effects of the xanthones found in mangosteen, here is
just a sampling of the other many benefits that science has either
researched or is in the process of discovering:
Antiviral
Helps lower blood pressure
Helps fight fatigue
Antidepressant
Prevents stomach ulcers
Aids with weight loss
Antiaging
Combats diarrhea
Pain reducer
Heart protective
Analgesic
Anti-parkinsonian and anti-Alzheimer
Lowers fevers
Builds immunity to disease
Antiallergen
Antifungal
Antiparasitic
Indeed, even now some health practitioners are suggesting drinking
mangosteen juice for relief to people who suffer from the following
diseases:
Infections
Skin ailments like psoriasis, seborrhea, or eczema
Joint problems and arthritis
Dementia
Anxiety and depression
Cancer
Chronic pain
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Ulcers
Diabetes
The Fruit with Xanthone Power
As time goes by, it's becoming less and less uncanny how traditional and
folk medicine seems to have a grasp on the nutritional properties of food
better than modern science has in the past. Indeed, it seems in some cases,
especially in that of the mangosteen, science is working to catch up.
The mangosteen fruit is believed to have originated in the Moluccas and the
Sunda Islands. It's been used for decades upon decades by people from
Thailand, the Philippines, and China in folk medicine to treat dysentery,
skin disorders like eczema, diarrhea and cystitis, among other ailments.
One of the reasons why mangosteen is only now gaining notoriety and
popularity is because, for many years, direct importation of the fruit from
other countries has been illegal, based on governmental regulations to help
quarantine the Asian fruit fly. Unfortunately, the mangosteen tree doesn't
grow well in most or all climates in the United States, so attempts to grow
the fruit here have been relatively unsuccessful.
However, as science has begun proving the unsurpassed medical value of the
rare mangosteen fruit and its xanthones, juices and preserves are becoming
more and more readily available.
In terms of taste, the mangosteen itself is considered one of the most
exquisitely delicious fruits nature has to offer. Often called the "Queen of
Fruits," the taste of mangosteen is unique, but is often described as sweet
and tangy with hints of pear, ripe strawberry, and grape.
After sampling mangosteen, it's easy to see why this fruit is so popular in
Thailand due to its taste. And after learning about the benefits of the
xanthones found in mangosteen, it's even more clear how nutritionally
beneficial this amazing fruit is.
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