Mangosteen in Syrup, Aroy-D, 20 oz

Mangosteen ('Mung Kud' in Thai) is a seasonal Thai fruit often referred to in Thailand as the "queen of fruits". Still relatively hard to find fresh outside of South East Asia, the mangosteen is still much sought-after as a forbidden fruit of the tropics. Legend has it that Queen Victoria once offered a reward of 100 pounds (the equivalent of over $8000 in today's economy) to whoever could bring her a fresh purple mangosteen! Now available from Thai company Aroy-D, the soft texture and sweet taste of mangosteen is more readily avaiable though still considered exotic nevertheless.

Sometimes referred to as a 'superfruit', a great deal of scientific research is now focused on analysing the mangosteen's healing properties. It is beleived by some that the antioxidant strength and nutrient richness of mangosteen could potentially lower the risk of various diseases in humans. For some time now, dried mangosteen fruits have been exported from Singapore to China and India to be used as a herbal medicine for skin and digestive disorders.

Though the mangosteen fruit itself has a thick and smooth purple rind, the arils inside (the only edible part of the fruit) are triangular, snowy white segments of soft and delicious flesh.