USA – Regular mango consumption may improve diets and help manage key risk factors that contribute to chronic disease, two independent studies have shown.
The first study, published in Nutrients, found positive outcomes in nutrient intakes, diet quality, and weight-related health outcomes in individuals who consume mangos versus those who do not.
The results were based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2001-2018.
According to the results, children who regularly ate mango had higher intakes of immune-boosting vitamins A, C and B6, as well as fiber and potassium.
Fiber and potassium are two of the four “nutrients of concern” which many consumers fail to meet their recommended daily intakes.
In adults, researchers found similar results, showing that mango consumption was associated with significantly greater daily intakes of fiber and potassium.
Adults who regularly at mangoes were also found to have higher intake of vitamins A, B12, C, E and folate, a vitamin critical during pregnancy and fetal development.
For both children and adults, consuming mango was associated with a reduced intake in sodium and sugar, and for adults was associated with a reduced intake of cholesterol.
A separate pilot study backed up this claim by showing that consuming whole mangos as a snack had better health outcomes in overweight and obese adults.
The study examined twenty-seven adults, all classified as overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI) and reported no known health conditions.
Researchers compared snacking on 100 calories of fresh mango daily to snacking on low-fat cookies that were equal in calories.
Participants were given either mango or low-fat cookies as a snack while maintaining their usual diet and physical level for 12 weeks.
This was followed by a four-week washout period and then an alternating snack was given for another 12 weeks.
At the end of the trial period, findings indicated that mango consumption improved glycemic control and reduced inflammation.
Results showed there was no drop in blood glucose when participants snacked on low-fat cookies.
However, when snacking on mangos there was a statically significant decrease in blood glucose levels at four weeks and again at 12 weeks, even though there was twice as much sugar, naturally occurring, in the mangos compared to the cookies.
Researchers also observed statistically significant improvements to inflammation markers, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and C-reactive protein (CRP), when snacking on mangos.
TAC is a measurement of overall antioxidant capacity, or how well foods can prevent oxidation in cells. CRP is, on the other hand, a biomarker used to measure inflammation in the body.
The findings suggest the antioxidants abundant in mangos offered more protection against inflammation compared to the cookies.
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