East Bay Times

The best mango juices available on supermarke­t shelves

- By Lynda Balslev Columnist

A tall, icy glass of mango juice should taste like a tropical vacation — bright, sweet, fresh and so complex that each sip begs a repeat. It's no wonder that it's the third most popular juice, just behind orange and apple.

Local stores stock plenty of options, but as it turns out, finding mango juice that hits all the right notes is not simple, primarily because of the nature of the fruit. Unlike oranges and apples that are easily juiced, mangoes are so dense and fibrous that they need to pureed, then thinned with liquids. Translated, that means all mango juice is a blend, no matter what the label says.

Lesser brands mix a dash of mango puree with various sweeteners, often high-fructose corn syrup, or super sweet juices, such as white grape or apple. Nicer brands rely on flavorful juices, such as pineapple and orange, that underscore the mango flavor and deliver a full-flavored juice.

The best mango juice blends deliver a burst of fresh, bright flavor thanks to a generous amount of mango puree and a careful

These mushroom lettuce wraps are healthy, light and easy to make in less than 30 minutes.

Don't let their simplicity deceive you: They are umami bombs, which means that they are packed with addictive savory flavor.

Umami is recognized as the fifth primary taste (sweet, sour, salty and bitter are the others). “Umami” is a Japanese word that loosely translates to “good flavor” and applies to savory, salty, meaty flavors; it's an inexact yet more-ish quality that makes food delectable. These flavors are enhanced by glutamate, which is an amino acid present in some foods. Two foods that are rich in glutamate are miso and mushrooms, which happen to be key ingredient­s in this recipe.

Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans. It's a complete source of protein, rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidan­ts.

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