Mango

Mango is one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.

See below for a list of its many benefits (1).

Blood sugar spikes and drops are common in people who are overweight or obese, and this mechanism is implicated in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, which affects the development of diabetes.

Choosing the sweet mango instead of other sugary treats can help control blood sugar, which, in turn, regulates insulin levels and reduces the risk of these other diseases developing (2).

Mango is very high in fiber while being lower in sugar, so it is slower to impact blood glucose, which means you don’t get the blood sugar spike and instead can enjoy more sustained energy after eating one (3).

The increased amount of fiber is highly beneficial for keeping the intestines moving at a regular pace, and you’ll be able to avoid uncomfortable constipation (4).

That same fiber is excellent at fueling the probiotic bacteria that live in your gut.

These bacteria not only help keep things moving so to speak but also aid in the absorption of certain vitamins, such as B12, which we need for good energy metabolism (5).

Many people have problems with digestion, and fresh mango peel is a great choice for improving this important function.

Mangoes and their peels contain enzymes that help in the breakdown of carbohydrate, protein, and fat and can make it easier for your body to absorb nutrients from food (6).

Mango is high in magnesium, which is an electrolyte mineral that’s essential to your health.

Magnesium is especially helpful for heart health, as it helps muscles to relax more fully so that the heart can recover better between beats.

Magnesium is important for regulating blood pressure and also lowers blood pressure for people who have high readings or have been diagnosed with hypertension (7).

This sweet golden fruit is a boon to brain function.

Mango has been shown to maintain neuronal integrity and preserve cognitive function.

This could mean a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.

It’s also possible that it can help in maintaining brain health after trauma, such as concussions and strokes (8).

Mango can reduce the body’s load of reactive oxygen species, or ROS, which are free radicals generated in the cells during normal energy production.

This means that the cells in your tissues can remain healthier for longer, and it may even reduce the risk of abnormal cell growth as seen in such diseases as cancer.

In the same way, mango can protect the integrity of red and white blood cells, enhancing oxygen delivery, immunity, and overall health (9).

Mango can even protect against radiation damage!

You experience radiation on a low level each day, from such sources as sunlight and a range of electronic equipment.

Traveling on planes increases your radiation exposure since you lose much of the protection of the environment.

Many types of medical equipment use radiation for diagnosis and treatment.

If you’re planning on having any X-rays or air travel, eating a mango each day can help reduce the damage from these dangerous waves (10).

Mangiferin is immunomodulatory, which means that it helps the immune system to function better.

By regularly eating mangoes, your immune system is better able to recognize a cancerous threat to your health, and cancer cells would be easier for your body to destroy thanks to this unique compound (11).

Mango also contains a great deal of vitamin C.

This vitamin has been shown to decrease the overall mortality for those diagnosed with cancer, extending the average survival rate for those who focus on adding plenty of this vitamin to their diet (12). 

The same compound that helps protect against cancer can help your immune system battle HIV infection, even the drug-resistant kind.

Since it’s a compound that makes the systems in your body work more efficiently, there is no way for the virus to compensate for the natural action of your immune system (13).

This same mangiferin compound can also help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Mangiferin can “significantly reduce” the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, including triglycerides and the more harmful LDL cholesterol (14).

Eating mangoes is a good way to keep your DNA stable.

DNA is in the nucleus of each of your cells, and it’s when this DNA becomes damaged through oxidative stress, age, diseases, and poor nutrition that they begin to function less well and can develop harmful mutations.

Keeping your DNA intact is essential for a long and healthy life and can help ward off various diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune disease, and many types of degeneration.

It’s because of the specific phenol and antioxidant capacity of mangoes that this protection is possible since these micronutrients can travel inside the cells that need them most (15).

Vitamin A is essential for eye health, and a deficiency of this vitamin can cause difficulty seeing in all types of light conditions, even including blindness.

Because mango contains high amounts of vitamin A, eating this fruit can ensure you maintain better vision and even be able to see better in near darkness (16).

Here is another way mangoes can help your brain.

This fruit contains glutamine (which is different from glutamate), which is a precursor to glutamic acid, an amino acid needed in large amounts in the body for tissue repair and stress management.

In the brain, the glutamic acid helps regulate the function of neurotransmitters, so the effects of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and cognitive impairment can be lessened (17).

Mangoes contain carotenoids, which are antioxidant compounds that give the fruit its vibrant color.

These carotenoids are especially beneficial for skin health, helping skin stay hydrated and plump, as well as giving you a healthy glow.

Even freeze-dried mango powder retains most of the antioxidant content of the fresh fruit (18).

It contains smaller amounts of many more vitamins, including folate, pantothenic acid, and thiamin.

Mangoes also contain potassium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and selenium, all of which are needed for healthy bones, arteries, skin, and other tissues.

Many people today suffer from chronic degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative problems.

Mango is high in vitamin C, which has been shown to be an important cofactor in helping stave off these conditions.

It’s noted that the amount of vitamin C needed to prevent chronic diseases is higher than what’s needed to prevent scurvy of the gums, so aiming for more than 100% of the daily recommended intake is good (19, 20).

 Since vitamin C is a necessary part of the creation of collagen in our bodies, eating more of these fruits can help us make more collagen, which is important in keeping the joints flexible and strong and pain-free as you age (21).

Mango skin can help fight fat.

Researchers looked at the flesh and skin of various varieties of mango.

While the flesh didn’t show any specific effect on fat accumulation in the body, the skin of the mango did.

Extracts from the peel showed significant inhibition of adipogenesis, which means that fat was unable to be stored (22).

Mangoes are high in magnesium.

This mineral is important for overall health but can be especially important for those who suffer from high blood pressure.

Magnesium helps muscles and arteries to relax more fully, naturally lowering this potential risk factor (23).

This golden fruit contains vitamin K, which is essential for strong and healthy bones.

Most people don’t get enough of this important nutrient since it’s more common in green leafy vegetables that may not be as easily adapted to the diet as this sweet fruit.

This could be an easier way for more people to improve the strength of their bones (24).

Anemia is a condition where there aren’t enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues, resulting in fatigue in milder cases and severe organ damage if left untreated.

It’s often caused by a lack of iron in the diet, and eating more mangoes can help prevent this condition.

Mangoes are high in iron, making them an ideal treat to help avoid this deficiency (25).

One of the nutrients mangoes contain, beta-carotene, is known to help prevent asthma symptoms, especially exercise-induced asthma.

While many people are able to treat these symptoms with steroid inhalers, this natural method has been shown to be effective for those who wish to avoid steroids (26).

Many people are looking for a little boost in lovemaking, and men especially get some help from eating more mangoes.

Some people have even written about its aphrodisiac qualities, making it easier to get into the mood.

Mango contains vitamin E, which is important in the health of reproductive organs.

Studies have shown that this vitamin improves the quality and motion of sperm, even in infertile men (27). 

Since mango is able to help reduce blood pressure and is high in vitamin C, which strengthens arteries, this fruit can help reduce the risk of this life-threatening disease.

Studies have shown that regularly consuming vitamin C long term is the best way to get this benefit, so a mango a day seems to be a pretty good strategy(28).

Mango’s micronutrients and electrolytes are ideal for helping muscles heal after a hard workout and replenishing your body’s store of these essential elements.

Not only that but the natural sugars found in this fruit are also perfect to help reduce post-workout fatigue.

This fruit will replenish your glycogen that gets burned off during intense exercise and may even help you to exercise harder for a longer time, thus improving your overall endurance and strength.