A Mango Taste Guide From Bitter to Sweet

With its tropical flavors and creamy texture, not all Mangoes taste the same every time. This may lead you to question, why does mango taste bitter?

A mango can taste bitter depending on how ripe it is which determines the flavor. If a mango is under or overripe, it can acquire a bitter taste. In addition, there are a few varieties of mangoes, and each has a different taste and texture.

The type of Mango you get depends on where the supplier gets it. If you take a look at the label on the box or on the Mango itself, you can see where it comes from which may affect the taste.

Today, we are going to take a quick look at some of the different varieties of Mango and compare the taste and texture of each.

a mango tasting bitter. — Eating a bitter mango

Why Your Mango Tastes Bitter

As a Certified Health Coach many clients ask me about healthy fruit including mangoes. Also, I purchase and consume it every month. Therefore, I have researched this topic in the past and present. Let’s examine the topic closely.

One of the best things about eating Mangoes is just how satisfying their flavor and textures can be. A big chunk of Mango can be pretty substantial and full of sweet juices. It makes eating Mangoes one of the only fruits that can be considered more flavorful than junk food.

What is not so great is when the Mango tastes bitter, but why does this happen?

The Mango is not fully ripe yet: If the Mango hasn’t had time to fully develop, the sugar vs acid ratio is unbalanced. Most fruits contain acid and sugar. If the acid content is greater than the sugar content, you can expect the fruit to be bitter or sour.
The Mango is overripe: When a Mango is overripe, it might start to go bad. We don’t usually notice this as it starts at the pit. That said, if even a small piece starts to rot, it will affect the taste of the entire Mango and it will taste bitter or sour.

As you can see, it is best for you to eat a Mango as it becomes fully ripe. If you do not give it enough time, the texture will be hard¹ but there won’t be enough sugar content so it will taste sour.

If you wait too long and it becomes overripe, it will taste sour due to rot. If you are unsure as to whether or not the Mango is overripe, you can cut the fruit away from the pit. If the pit has dark spots, it means that the Mango is overripe and might taste bitter.

Different Varieties Of Mango

There are plenty of different Mango Varieties². Because they are able to grow in many different regions. They have adapted and been optimized by farmers according to their environment.

These various types of Mangoes have different appearances, textures, and most importantly, different flavors.

Mango made my list of 22 Best Anti-Aging Fruits. The first one on the list is a fruit you never hear of! You can read about it and the other 21 fruits by clicking right here, 22 Best Anti-Aging Fruits for Looking & Feeling Younger.

The Tommy Atkins

The Tommy Atkins Mango has a mild taste that is not too sweet. It does give a strong Aroma though. The texture is soft, juicy and it has stringy fibers that give the Mango a substantial texture.

This is the most common Mango in the United States. It is a descendant of the Haden Mango³. The Tommy Atkins is grown in Florida where it actually originated. It starts out being reddish with green shading. You will know that the Mango is ripe when the green turns yellow.

Francis Mango

The Francis Mango flavor is definitely unique as it has a slight spice to it which compliments the sweet tropical flavor. It has a soft texture with long fibers and stringy fibers

This Mango has bright yellow skin that can be described as a light gold color when it is ripe. Its “different” appearance makes it rather easily distinguishable with its flat body and long shape. It is grown in tropical climates, mostly in Haiti⁴.

The Haden Mango

The Haden Mango has a very sweet flavor and a strange texture. While it is firm, the second you start to eat it, the texture becomes almost mushy. Somewhat like a fruity custard.

This is the second most common Mango found in North America⁵. It is mainly grown in the South of Florida and has a bright red color with yellow shading when it is ripe. The Haden is one of the oldest cultivars of Mango and is considered the parent of most others. While that is true, it can actually trace its lineage to a different Mango.

The Mulgoba Mango

The Mulgoba Mango has a sweet and subtly spicy flavor. The texture is soft and juicy and unlike most other Mango, it does not really have fibers. Because the pit is so small on these Mangoes, the fruit has a lot of sweet fruity flesh

This is one of the most prized Mangoes in the world. It originates from India and it was so popular it was exported to the United States in 1902⁶.

It is thanks to this Mango that the Haden Mango was born. Yep, the Mulgoba is the parent Mango of the Haden. You can kind of think of it as the Grandparent of most other Mango cultivars.

Ataulfo Mang

The Ataulfo Mango has a very distinct sweet flavor with undertones of citrus. Much like the Mulgoba, it has a smooth velvety texture instead of a fibrous one.

This tiny little Mango has a textured, wrinkly yellow skin. It is grown mostly in the warm temperate climate of Mexico⁷. Similarly to the Mulgoba, it has a small pit which makes up for the small size. The Mango is most commonly known as the “honey mango”

How To Make Make Mangoes Taste Better

This would not be a true taste guide without telling you about a few ways in which you can enhance or change the taste of a Mango⁸. With fruit as versatile as a Mango, this should be pretty easy. Don’t be afraid to get creative with it.

Add A pinch of salt to the Mango: This might seem a little strange, won’t salt take away the sweetness of a Mango? Well, no, not if you only add a very small amount. The salt can enhance the flavor and aroma of a Mango.
Make a fruit salad: All you need is a little bit of fruit juice, preferably Mango juice, some fruits, and a mango. Chop everything up, put it in a bowl and add the juice. You now have a great fruit salad.
Add a little bit of sugar: If you peeled your Mango only to find that it was not fully ripe and it has a bitter taste, add a small amount of sugar. Most of you probably know, I’m against all added sugar. If you add any make sure it’s a small amount and only do it as an occasional treat.
Add a little bit of curry spice to the Mango: Indian people have always been extremely creative with their food and that culture has spilled over to the west. Try adding a little bit of curry spice to a plate and then dab little pieces of mango in the curry.

Mango Smoothie: Add one cup of orange juice, one diced mango, 1/2 organic greek yogurt, one banana and six ice cubes into a high speed blender and mix at high speed. I have 5 other healthy smoothie ideas along with over 91 health tips in my free ebook. You can instantly download it by clicking here, Top Tips Health Guide.

How To Know When Mangoes Are Ripe

Because there are so many different types of Mangoes, we can only mention what there shouldn’t be in terms of color. Mangoes should not be green, if they are, it is not ripe.

Most Mangoes will be red and yellow when they are ripe. A ripe Mango will also be soft to the touch, plump and firm but not hard⁹: .

If you have any questions to ask me about this article don’t hesitate to comment below or email us. You can find an email on our contact page.