How to Choose the Best Mango This Summer Beyond Its Color

Mangoes are a quintessential summer fruit in Israel, known for their sweetness and juiciness. However, many shoppers mistakenly select mangoes based on their skin color, assuming that a more vibrant yellow, orange, or red hue indicates ripeness and sweetness. In reality, the external color of a mango largely depends on its variety and is not a reliable indicator of ripeness. Some mango varieties remain green even when fully ripe, while others may turn red or orange before softening.

Mangoes continue to ripen after being picked, becoming softer and sweeter over time. Yet, mangoes harvested too early might change color and soften without developing full sweetness and aroma. To choose a ripe mango, it is better to gently press the fruit; a ripe mango should yield slightly to gentle pressure, similar to a ripe avocado, without being too hard or overly soft with dents.

The aroma near the stem is another helpful sign: ripe mangoes emit a sweet, fruity scent. If the mango is hard and lacks smell, it likely needs more time to ripen. Shoppers should avoid pressing too hard to prevent internal bruising. If a mango is still hard at purchase, it can be left at room temperature away from direct sunlight to ripen, or placed in a paper bag with an apple or banana to speed up ripening due to ethylene gas.

Once ripe, mangoes can be refrigerated to slow further ripening. Small blemishes or color changes on the skin are usually harmless, but very soft spots, sour smell, leaking fluids, or mold indicate spoilage. The key takeaway is to rely on texture and smell rather than color when selecting mangoes, as the greenest mango in the pile might be the sweetest inside.