Should I choose hard or soft bamboo?

When selecting mangosteen, it is recommended to choose mature fruits with a slightly soft and elastic outer skin. If they are too hard, they may not be ripe, and if they are too soft, they may rot. The fresh mangosteen shell is dark purple, and the stem is fresh green. When pressed, the skin can bounce back.

The outer skin of mature mangosteen should present a uniform deep purple color, with no black spots or dry cracks on the surface. The fresh green color of the fruit stem indicates a shorter picking time and higher freshness. When lightly pinching the fruit shell, one can feel a slight sinking and rapid rebound, indicating that the flesh is plump and juicy. After peeling, the valve is white without yellowing, and the flesh is milky white and translucent, with a delicate texture and no fiber sensation. Immature mangosteen has a hard outer shell that is difficult to press, and its flesh is sour and lacks juice, resulting in a poor taste. Excessive softness of mangosteen may cause internal fermentation or mold growth, resulting in blackened fruit shells that cannot rebound after pressing. Partially rotten fruits will release brown juice and emit an alcohol or sour smell. If the fruit stem is found to be black and dry, it usually indicates that the storage time is too long. Partial surface hardness but partial softening of mangosteen may cause internal local deterioration, and it is necessary to avoid selecting fruits with unstable quality.

After purchasing mangosteen, it is recommended to refrigerate it for no more than three days and rinse the outer shell with running water before consumption. People with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should not consume too much, and it is recommended not to exceed 3 per day. Paired with hot fruits such as lychee and longan, it can balance the cooling properties. When indigestion occurs, the fruit pulp can be boiled together with ginger slices to make sugar water. If discoloration or abnormal taste of the fruit pulp is found, it should be immediately stopped from consumption.