A mango daily can reduce the risk of a number ofchronic diseasesreduce. This is shown by new research results presented at the Nutrition 2021 Live Online Conference on October 7-10. June (the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition).
Mango: How healthy is it?
Researchers at San Diego State University studied 27 overweight or obese participants who were randomly assigned to eat either 100 kcal of low-fat cookies (26 g) or 100 kcal of fresh mangos (166 g) per day for 12 weeks - then switched for another 12 weeks on the other food.
Mangoes, researchers say, are known to contain a range of beneficial nutrients, including minerals, fiber and certain micronutrients that are not as common in other foods. While mango consumption or extracts have shown promising effects in laboratory cell studies and animal studies, there have not been many studies specifically looking at the effects on living, breathing humans.
For this study, the researchers examined how mango - compared to cookies - affects body weight, body fat, blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin levels, blood lipid levels (cholesterol and triglycerides), liver function and blood markers for inflammation.
Mangoes linked to improved health markers
Of the 27 participants, 16 were men and 11 women, and the average age was 26.1 years. After an overnight fast, venous blood sampling was performed at baseline, week 4, and week 12. Blood samples were analyzed for glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, liver function enzymes, C-reactive protein (CRP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Body weight, body fat percentage, and blood pressure were measured at each visit.
Researchers found that consuming mango daily for 12 weeks reduced blood sugar levels and C-reactive protein (a blood marker of inflammation) and theantioxidant capacityof the body increased - a measure of how well antioxidants respond to free radicals that cause cell damage. There were no significant changes in body weight, body fat, blood pressure, insulin, lipids or liver function from consuming cookies or mangoes.
Consumption of cookies, on the other hand, was associated with significant increases in insulin levels, C-reactive protein and triglyceride levels - all risk factors for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.
The researchers noted that while daily consumption of mango for 12 weeks was associated with favorable results in blood markers, it is not known what long-term benefits this fruit might have. It's also not clear which components of mangoes are most responsible for their potential health benefits. More research is needed, say the study authors, to gain a better understanding of the biological mechanisms at work when mangoes are consumed.
Those:Nutrition 2021 Live Online conference; Effects of Fresh Mango Consumption on Blood Glucose, Insulin, and Other Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults – Martin Rosas, Mee Young Hong, San Diego State University
