Behold The Homely Mangosteen - Article Example

Article Critique "Behold The Homely Mangosteen" lauds the fantastic health benefits of a little known fruit, cultivated in Southeast Asia and recently available to the North American consumer, the mangosteen. This article begins with a short history of mangosteen – Queen Victoria reportedly described it as the “Queen of Fruits” – and asserts that mangosteen was first introduced into the United States in 1906 by the Department of Agriculture, although attempts at cultivating it in the US have failed. This brief history is followed by testimonials by individuals praising the natural therapeutic benefits of this little known fruit. Mangosteen, also known by its scientific name, Garcinia mangostrana, is reported to deliver incredible health benefits to people suffering from fibromyalgia, stomach inflammation, PMS, cramping, nausea, malignant tumors and even diabetes. Following testimonials and laudatory remarks by individuals relived of their ailments by this miraculous fruit, the scientific health basis for the remarkable effects of mangosteen on humans is elaborated upon. The author of this article begins by praising the inherent composition of this fruit, arguing that it has a unique combination of antioxidants and ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) which are responsible for its healing properties. Journal studies are cited, including articles appearing in the Journal of Nutrition and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which assert that eating plenty of high ORAC food can help stunt the mental and physical aging process as well as help those who are ill. Unfortunately, while the journals are mentioned, the actual articles reporting these health benefits are omitted. The mangosteen fruit is then compared with other top antioxidant foods and it is shown that the ORAC rating of mangosteen is far greater than that of any competitive fruit (prunes, oranges, strawberries, etc). Mangosteen’s antioxidant properties are discussed with particular emphasis placed upon the mangosteen xanaphones, alpha mangosteen and gamma mangosteen, and another key ingredient, polysaccharides. Finally, "Behold The Homely Mangosteen" concludes with a reiteration of the positive healing effects of mangosteen, as expressed in a personal testimonial. "Behold The Homely Mangosteen" was written by an unknown author with no obvious scientific credentials to substantiate his/her arguments. Although the author is a good writer and this article is written with a fluid sense of prose, we know nothing of the writer’s background nor his/her credentials to report on the miraculous benefits of this fruit. Many cases are cited – qualitative research is the primary method used here – but first-person testimonials lack a certain substance if they are not backed up with concrete and substantive data. The inclusion of qualitative research does enhance the strength of this piece; unfortunately, since this author remains anonymous and the research method employed here lends itself to subjectivity, "Behold The Homely Mangosteen" lacks overall credibility. Since the author’s affiliation – as well as identity – remain anonymous, the result is that organizational and/or institutional affiliation do nothing to enhance the credibility of the piece. Importantly, the omission of the author’s credentials is a major shortcoming of this article. In addition, there is little to suggest that this periodical has its own impartial editorial board and mention of the editors is made in this article. In fact, a cursory search of the internet for Breakthroughs in Health Magazine reveals it be less of a mass-market magazine and more of a marketing vehicle for mangosteen retailers. More information can be found on the mangosteen marketing tools website here: http://mangosteen.cart.net.au/details/728250.html. This revelation certainly brings into question the validity and impartiality of the research used in the article. In terms of research methods, the author blends qualitative interview-based research with scholarly quantitative data-based research to back up the assertions made in the piece. Qualitative research appears to be recent where dates are given. This includes a 2003 interview with Dr. Bruce Ames, Professor and Senior Scientist in the Department of Biology and Molecular Biology from the University of California at Berkley on the effects of antioxidants on aging. Most of the testimonials, however, do not include any reference to their date of transmission. Quantitative data includes information on Mangosteen’s ORAC Rating, a chart and a full citation. Further data, however, is vague such as in the sentence, “a pharmacological study at a major university uncovered…”. Unfortunately, this approach to sourcing and citation is endemic to the article. Proper referencing was not used by the author to support the piece and citations - when used - were sporadic at best and not uniformly applied throughout the article. Following the age-old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, it is not difficult to believe that ingestion of this fruit is good for your health. Most fruit is. Despite this, claims that mangosteen can cure as well as ward off some pretty serious ailments like fibromyalgia, are difficult to believe when not backed up with adequate scholarly reference and support. It is also reported, perhaps a more controversially, that the healing properties of the mangosteen fruit for people suffering from HIV AIDS are unknown but research points to potential effects of mangosteen compounds on the HIV virus. Wow, what an assertion. Importantly, a statement as groundbreaking as this should be backed up with further research and a citation. It is an unfortunate fact that sources were not properly used in this article. Library journals as well as online scholarly research obtained through JSTOR, Questia, Oxford or Cambridge journals online would be excellent resources to obtain further information on the mangosteen phenomenon. There is no information included here to direct the reader to more information on the subject. "Behold The Homely Mangosteen" argues that a little known fruit, the mangosteen, contains incredible health properties and should be eaten as part of a proper diet. Not only tasty but with the ability to cure what ails us, the mangosteen is an incredible fruit with somewhat magical abilities. In terms of cause and effect, this article ardently argues that people who eat mangos teen will see positive health effects and it may even cure ailments such as fibromyalgia, stomach inflammation, PMS, cramping, nausea malignant tumors and even diabetes. Unfortunately though, the claims put forth by this article fall flat. Written by an anonymous author with no clear scientific credentials, the claims put forth in this article must be heavily scrutinized. Accordingly, the poor use of referencing and citation – in addition to the overuse of testimonials – should make the reader question the entire validity of the piece. Works Cited "Behold The Homely Mangosteen". Breakthroughs in Health Magazine. 1:5 (2006): 44-53. Read More