An increasing body of scientific evidence makes it clear: what we eat may have an impact on the health and beauty of our skin. But what if there was a fruit—available year-round with plentiful volume just in time for skin-centric summertime—that delivered a cocktail of skin-supporting nutrients and compounds?

Well, the mango contains over twenty different vitamins and minerals, according to the National Mango Board, and preliminary animal model research indicates that mango may protect skin from damage due to exposure to UVB radiation. Let's take a closer look at the science behind these skin-supporting superstars.

Vitamin C: One cup of mango delivers a whopping 100 percent of the daily requirement for this important antioxidant. Vitamin C supports many different functions in the skin, including collagen formation, regeneration, and wound repair.

Vitamin A/Beta Carotene: Mangos deliver 35 percent of the daily vitamin A requirement in the form of beta carotene (an antioxidant pigment which the body converts to vitamin A).

Folate: Rich in folate, one cup of mango contains 20 percent of the daily requirements for this B vitamin. Folate supports many different processes within the body, and researchers have suggested that some may have an important impact on the maintenance and function of healthy skin.

The sumptuous flavor of mangos elevates any eating experience, adding a burst of nutrients, vivid color, and the taste of the tropics. The perfect ingredient for salads, smoothies, yogurt, grilled meats, or side dishes, fresh mangos give everyday favorites a summer beauty boost.

Other unique tropical fruit

Passion Fruit: The purple passion fruit is native from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It has been stated that the yellow form is of unknown origin, or perhaps native to the Amazon region of Brazil. The unique flavor is appealing, musky, guava-like and sweet/tart to tart. The yellow form has generally larger fruit than the purple, but the pulp of the purple is less acid, richer in aroma and flavor, and has a higher proportion of juice.

Guava: The tropical guava is best adapted to the warm climate of Florida and Hawaii, although it can be grown in coastal Southern California. Varieties differ widely in flavor and seediness. The better varieties are soft when ripe, creamy in texture with a rind that softens to be fully edible. The flesh may be white, pink, yellow, or red.

Rambutan: To people of Malaysia, Thailand, the Phillippines, Vietnam, Borneo, and other countries of this region, the rambutan is a relatively common fruit the same way an apple is common to many people in cooler climates. Characterized by soft spines on the rind, the rambutan contains a single central inedible seed and edible white flesh wrapped around it.