Mango beats the apple: flavour, price and a pit that's 80% of the fruit

The mango: the superior fruit that chokes on its own pit

Some fruits settle for being a side dish. Not the mango. In recent shopping baskets, the mango has earned a place of honour. Its flavour, its price and its versatility in the kitchen put it ahead of the competition. But it has a structural flaw: the pit, which accounts for 80% of its weight, weighs down its throne.

The main argument of its defenders is simple: the mango tastes better the closer you get to the pit. That central zone, sweet and tangy at once, has an ice-cream-like texture and a touch of acidity that makes it addictive. It is grown in Spain and sells for 1.50 euros a piece, a price considered cheap for what it offers.

The problem is its anatomy. The pit takes up most of the fruit, and the pitless varieties that have appeared over time have never really taken off. If they were truly viable, the entire Mediterranean coast would be planted with mango trees. The fact that it isn't suggests something is wrong: more disease, worse flavour, or simply commercial hype.

Peeling it is no walk in the park either. Choosing the right peine is an art in itself: the less red it is, the more fragrant and tangy; the redder mangoes are sweeter and less aromatic. That said, anyone who masters the peeler loses their antiestéticar of it, and the result works in salads or even in a fish and chips with mango sauce.

The mango has won the battle of the palate, but keeps losing the battle of practicality. As long as the pit remains an 80% burden, some will prefer easier fruits. But nobody who has tasted a perfectly ripe mango disputes its superiority.