The mangosteen (no relation to the mango botanically) is a tropical fruit originally found in the Malay Archipelago. It is used for making mangosteen juice and is also eaten fresh or dried out. The Malay Archipelago is the largest group of islands in the world. Comprising of the 13,000 islands of Indonesia and the 7,000 islands of the Philippines commonly referred to as the East Indies.

The seed of the mangosteen dries out very quickly, it is possible to transport the seed in moist peat moss, but this causes the seed to germinate, and if not planted soon, will die. You can, however, produce products such as magosteen juice or dried mangosteen, which is suitable for transportation. Due to the fragileness of the seeds, early European explorers were not able to transport seeds to Europe for cultivation. The first recorded fruiting in the UK was in 1885.

Today the mangosteen is grown in a number of locations. From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Canada, the mangosteen has gained world wide popularity. Mangosteen juice and freeze-dried mangosteens have been available in the US for a long time now, but whole mangosteens have not been available due to the fear that the fruit might harbor the Asian fruit fly, which would have a devastating effect on American agriculture. On July the 23rd 2007, the situation changed.

The FDA approved shipments from Thailand after the fruits were irradiated and the packing and shipping procedures were approved. A fresh mangosteen in a New York store can fetch up to $45 dollars a pound. The high price could change if more irradiated imports are accepted into the US. Mangosteen juice however has always been an affordable way to enjoy this exotic fruit as it can be legally imported from anywhere.

The mangosteen tree will only produce fruit after six years in ideal circumstances and substantially longer (up to 10 years) in less favorable conditions. The mangosteen is a mystery in relation to its reproduction. The tree seems to have two sexes. But to date no male tree has been found anywhere in the world. According to scientific research, it is speculated that the tree reproduces asexually, meaning the sapling will be an exact clone of the parent tree. Regardless, scientists were baffled to discover variations in the genetic code of these trees even though there should logically be none. Mangosteen juice can be found in two colors; a shade similar to leachy juice, and a purplish color.

The taste attributed to this mysterious fruit has been described as 'a rush of complex sweet and sour flavors'. Mangosteen juice has a distinct sour-like peach taste. The rind has an array of complex organic chemicals and has been praised throughout history for its medicinal qualities. The rind is however extremely bitter and is not palatable.

Mangosteens, like many exotic fruits, are being pioneered as an elixir or super-health food. All though the mangosteen has great nutritional content and has proven health benefits, profiteering by unscrupulous companies has given rise to misinformation about this superb fruit. Not all mangosteen products are good for you. Some brands of mangosteen juice contains harmful chemicals designed to prolong shelve life, change the color or sweeten the product.