Float or Sink? What That Really Says About Your Mango

Posted By Gautham PB on Tuesday 29th April 2025

Thanks to Instagram reels and YouTube shorts – and the many self-proclaimed “experts” out there – there’s a lot of misinformation floating around (pun intended

One that keeps popping up this mango season is: “Artificially ripened mangoes float, while naturally ripened ones sink.”

Sounds catchy, right? But unfortunately... it's just not true.

Here’s the real deal: Whether a mango floats or sinks depends solely on its density.

A mango with higher density sinks. A mango with lower density floats.

That’s it. Simple physics – not ripening science.

The method of ripening, be it natural or artificial, doesn’t significantly change the fruit's density enough to make it float or sink.

So yes, both naturally and artificially ripened mangoes can float or sink depending on:

The mango variety

Size and shape

Ratio of pulp to seed to peel

Sorry to burst the bubble! But we figured it’s time someone said it clearly

At Healthy Buddha, we ripen our mangoes the good old-fashioned way — placing them in boxes with hay at our Whitefield office in Bangalore, giving them the love and time they deserve. No carbide, no shortcuts. Just nature doing its thing

So next time someone confidently claims they’ve cracked the mango test with a bucket of water, feel free to set the record straight