The mangoes that most of us eat on a regular basis are found without the shell. Most don’t know that mangoes are actually in the same family as the cashew, with mangoes growing on large trees that can live for hundreds of years. Mangoes can come in a lot of different colors, though most of us know the ones that are orange or yellow. No matter what color, they tend to have the same taste and health benefits.
Mangoes are enjoyed all over the world now after starting in South Asia, and can even be found growing in the western hemisphere. What makes them popular is the fact that mangoes can be used in a lot of different ways. From mango juice to smoothies to being a topping on meat, mangoes have no limit to their uses. Let’s take a look at some of the nutritional value that you get from mangoes, as well as the great health benefits those nutrients bring.
Nutrition of Mango
Mango is certainly one of the sweetest fruits out there, but things that are typically sweet don’t normally give you so much nutrition. Mango offers a little bit of protein, and even more fiber with 12 percent of your daily recommendation. In terms of vitamins, vitamin C is the biggest of the bunch, with three quarters of your recommended value. Vitamin A is also abundant, with a quarter of recommended value.
Mangoes are also a good source of vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate. That’s pretty well rounded for just one fruit, that also has omega-3 fatty acids. You can find some minerals in small amounts with mangoes, as there is less than 10 percent of recommended value of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese. All of that comes with almost no fat, and no cholesterol at all.
Good For the Heart
The biggest health benefit that you’re going to be getting from mangoes happens to your most important organ; the heart. Mangoes are a good source of fiber and pectin, which studies say could lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Vitamin C is another nutrient that can help you lower your cholesterol.
Blood pressure is another big factor into heart health, which is often treated with minerals such as magnesium. Overall, mangoes provide many different antioxidants to help your body, which is vital for your heart. Even if you are looking to avoid diseases that aren’t in the cardiac field, mangoes help with that. The vitamins boost your immune system, helping to keep everything from the common cold to cancer from developing in your body.
Looking Good
One of the best foods that you can eat for your exterior appearance is the mango. Many of the vitamins found in mangoes will help you fight off signs of aging while helping your skin in the short term, as well. Vitamin C is the most important, with the nutrient allowing your body to produce collagen. This allows your skin to have more elasticity, avoiding problems such as wrinkles.
Vitamin A is also fantastic for your skin health, helping to repair any damage from blemishes or even the sun. Mangoes have become more commonly used in beauty products, because they can open up your pores. If you’re one of the people that suffers from acne on a regular basis, eating more mangoes can help speed up the process to get rid of acne.
Digestive Health
Mangoes are among the many fruits that will give a huge boost to your digestive system. That’s because mangoes contain quite a bit of fiber, allowing your body to produce more beneficial bacteria in your gut. This will allow you to become more regular, fighting off digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea and indigestion. You don’t realize how much it helps until you’ve felt the improvement, and you’ll come to love the change.
For those that are underweight, you know how hard it can be to put on a few pounds. Mangoes can help you with that because of the high (for fruit) calorie count and starch found within. Instead of binging on junk food to gain weight, mangoes are a healthy way to get your body up to a normal weight while not doing any damage to your digestive system.
Fighting Diabetes
Mangoes might be high in starch that allows your body to create more sugar, but it’s not going to damage your blood sugar and insulin levels. In fact, early studies have shown that mangoes can help you prevent or manage your diabetes. The glycemic index for mangoes is higher than most fruits, but still pretty low on the overall list.
You don’t even have to eat mangoes to see the improvement to your blood sugar. Instead, you can boil leaves in water and then eat them in the morning. This is a home remedy that has taken off lately, and has been shown to have positive effects on blood sugar regulation. We’re not sure who came up with that idea, but it seems to be a good one.
Energy Boost
If you are someone that finds themselves without energy both at work and at home, eating more mangoes can help you. The vitamin E and fiber content in mangoes help to boost your mood and even your sex drive. You’ll also keep your body from overheating as the juice in mangoes has a cooling effect. Eating mangoes before working out is a solid choice, and those that suffer from anemia can get some more iron into their blood for more energy throughout the day.
Summing it Up
Mangoes are delicious and contain a lot of health benefits, but it’s not a fruit that you want to eat a lot of everyday, unfortunately. What makes mangoes so sweet is the fact that they have a lot of natural sugars. Eating too many of them can increase your blood sugar, so it’s not recommended that diabetics eat them often. They are also higher in calories than a lot of other fruits, so eating them too often can lead to weight gain.
The fiber content in mangoes are high, and taking too much fiber can cause intestinal discomfort. This isn’t a big deal as many people don’t eat enough fiber, but it is worth mentioning. When eaten in smaller amounts, mangoes are going to give you the biggest benefit. For fruits that you can eat on a daily basis, watermelon and bananas are a better way to go with mangoes being a treat a couple of times per week. No matter what, though, mangoes make for a great part of your weekly diet.