The mangosteen fruit originated in the Malay Archipelago and quickly spread through the warm tropical climates of Southeast Asia . The small dark purple fruit with a delicious white pulp grows abundantly and is harvested twice a year from a small evergreen tree. Native people throughout Southeast Asia have historically used the fruit for its natural properties. It was when Europeans explored Southeast Asia that folklore related to the mangosteen first spread to western culture. However, it was not until XanGo LLC launched XanGo Juice in 2002 that mangosteen began to achieve widespread recognition and acceptance in western markets . The mangosteen rind was sliced and dried, then ground to a powder and administered as an herbal preparation. The mangosteen rind was steeped in water overnight and taken as a tea as well as made into an ointment and applied externally as a lotion. It was through these popular uses that the benefits of mangosteen were passed down through history and several scientists and explorers took note. The mangosteen is so revered in Thailand that the Thai government recognizes it as the country’s national fruit.
The mangosteen fruit is an...