By Felicia Persaud
News Americas, CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, Weds. July 9, 2014: The sweet, juicy mango fruit, popular in the Caribbean region, has earned its own festival in one small island, much like with the international mango festival in Miami and in Delhi, India.
Chief Marketing Officer at the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) Greg Phillip this week announced the first ‘Nevis Mango Festival’ which is taking place on the island throughout the month of July.
“The festival adds another dimension to our product beyond the traditional sun, sand and sea vacation and we at the NTA are happy for that,” Phillip stated. “We have an abundance of mangoes on Nevis so we see this as an opportunity to use Nevis’ ‘sweetest resource’ to promote the island.”
The mango festivities will feature a wide range of products, ideas and of course the star of the show, the mango itself.
A highlight of the activities will be the ‘Mango Madness Street Fair’ that will take place on July 11th on Main Street, Charlestown from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a plethora of mango varieties for the attendees.
The fair will feature vendors showcasing different varieties of mangoes along with food dishes, chutneys and confectioneries all made from mangoes. The ‘Mango Madness Street Fair’ will also feature a mango eating competition, cooking demonstrations along with other entertainment. The island’s Agriculture Department will also host a grafting clinic on that day.
Restaurants across the island have included mango dishes on their menus, providing the opportunity for visitors to dine around and experience a variety of mango dishes and mango cocktails for the month-long July festival.
The health benefits of mango includes:
Health Benefits:
1. Prevents Cancer:
Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.
2. Lowers Cholesterol:
The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad stuff)
3. Clears the Skin:
Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples. (Read more on page 5.)
4. Eye Health:
One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.
5. Alkalizes the Whole Body:
The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.
Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea thatforms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the island of Saint Kitts to the northwest form the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
The two islands are separated by a shallow two-mile (3.22 km) channel known as “The Narrows.” Nevis is conical in shape with a volcanic peak known as Nevis Peak at its center. The island is fringed on its western and northern coastlines by sandy beaches. Nevis is of particular historical significance to Americans because it was the birthplace and early childhood home of Alexander Hamilton.
For the British, Nevis is the place where Horatio Nelson was stationed as a young sea captain, and is where he met and married a Nevisian, Frances Nisbet, the young widow of a plantation-owner. The country is also known as ‘Queen of The Caribees’ and ‘Our Lady of the Snows.’
With a population of 12,000, Nevis is one of the Caribbean’s most exclusive destinations with a variety of vacation options including golf, tennis, water sports and fine dining. Easily accessible through the islands of St. Kitts and Puerto Rico, the language is English, the currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar and the capital is Charlestown. For more information on travel packages, activities or accommodations visit nevisisland.com
