What's yellow, sweet and totally nutritious? Mangoes. Grown naturally in the tropical islands of Southeast Asia, they've now found their way to virtually all countries in the world. Mangoes have been dubbed as the "King of Fruits" and with good reason, too.

If you're trying to gain weight, mangoes are your go-to fruits. This is because the tropical mango has high levels of calories and carbohydrates needed by those who want to fatten up in a healthful way. But that's not all mangoes are good for. Their various health benefits include cancer prevention and protection against heart disease. This is because of the powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties of the phenolic compound found in the fruit and the Vitamin A, E and selenium present in it. It is also high in iron and as such is recommended for pregnant women and those with anemia. It also effectively de-clogs skin pores. It is further effective in alleviating acidity and poor digestion even as its anti inflammatory properties help ease asthma symptoms. It is even said that the Vitamin E in mango boosts one's sex life by improving hormonal system function.

Those suffering from bacterial infections, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, eye disorders, hair loss, heat stroke, leucorrhea, liver disorders, menstrual disorders, morning sickness,, piles, prickly heat, scurvy, sinusitis, spleen enlargement and vaginitis area also helped by a regular diet of this luscious tropical fruit. A medium sized mango contains 107 calories, 0.84 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrate, 0.45 g of total Fat, 3 g of fiber, 6425 IU of Vitamin A , 45.7mg of Vitamin, 18 mg of magnesium, 300 mg potassium and 20 g of calcium. It contains no cholesterol and no saturated fat.

One of the best ways to enjoy mangoes is to make them into refreshing drinks called mango smoothies. They do not only pack the nutrients in, smoothies are also combined with yogurt or other fruits for added nutritional value and more goodness. Here are some sample mango smoothie recipes and how to make them:

For this most basic mango recipe, you only need a cup of chopped mango, a cup of vanilla yogurt, a cup of crushed ice, and a tablespoon of sugar (optional since the mango is already ripe in itself). Simply combine all the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker, run for thirty seconds or until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.

For another mango smoothie recipe that you can try at home, prepare half a cup of frozen mangoes, half a cup of frozen strawberries, about a third of a cup chilled orange juice (fresh if possible) and half a cup of chilled milk. Put the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker. Plug it and blend them together to the desired thickness and consistency. Once done, immediately serve them in tall glasses and enjoy. You can substitute chilled milk with soy or some other milk of your choice. You can also pair mangoes with strawberries and/ or avocados to create other great-tasting smoothies. You can also add protein powders to this mixture, especially if you want to gain weight.