health benefits of Mangoes

Top 12 health benefits of Mangoes and why eat them

There are numerous health benefits of mangoes, such as improved immunity, digestive health, iron absorption, growth and repair of worn-out tissues as well as lower risk of certain cancers. Mango (Mangifera indica), also called the “king of fruits”, is one of the most popular and sweetest fruits in the world. They are mostly low in calories but contain high levels of nutrients.

Mangoes are a healthy snack that tastes delicious any time of the day. Before you eat your mangoes, you should know their health benefits and some tips on how to enjoy them.

What is the mango fruit

The mango fruit is a member of the drupe family. This type of plant fruit has a fleshy outer layer that covers the seed. The seed is situated in the middle of the fruit. Originally from India, the mango fruit is now available everywhere in the world but is most dominant in southeast Asia.

Mangoes come in various varieties and each variety has a distinct flavor, shape, color, and size. Mangoes are generally sweet, juicy, and soft in texture.

The fruit should be washed before consumption. This is done to clear any dirt or impurities situated on the outer fleshy layer of the fruit. The mango fruit is also known for its health and medicinal benefits.

Nutritional component of mango fruit

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one cup of chopped mango contains

Protein content: 1.4 g.

Carbohydrate content: 24.7 g

0.6 g of fat

There are 2.6 grams of dietary fiber in this serving.

67 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin C (RDA).

Copper accounts for 20% of the RDI.

Folate content is 18% of the RDI.

Vitamin B6 intake is 11.6 percent of the RDI.

Vitamin A accounts for 10% of the RDI.

9.7 percent of the RDI for vitamin E

6.5 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDI) for vitamin B5

6% of the RDI for vitamin A

Mangoes also contain small amounts of phosphorus, pantothenic acid, calcium, selenium, iron, and polyphenols (a plant compound that functions as an antioxidant).

This article will seek to explore the many health benefits of mangoes and give reasons or explanations as to why people should be encouraged to eat mangoes.

Top health benefits of mango fruit

1. Lowers the risk of cancer

The risk of cancer can be lowered by eating mangoes. Mangoes contain beta-carotene in high amounts. Mangoes are also known to have high amounts of polyphenols which happen to have anticancer properties.

Eating mangoes help lower your risk of certain cancers. Mangoes have over a dozen different types of polyphenols, including mangiferin, quercetin, fisetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, gallic acid, and methyl gallate, which have anti-cancer properties. 

This can help protect against oxidative stress, which is linked to many types of cancer, such as breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and leukemia.

2. Support Eye Health

According to  Andrea P. Thau, past president of the American Optometric Association. The nutrients derived from mangoes can help preserve your vision. 

Two key nutrients, antioxidants lutein, and zeaxanthin, in mango act as a natural sunblock, absorbing excess light coming into the retina. They also protect the eye from harmful light rays.

These two nutrients accumulate in the retina of the eye and serve as a sunblock taking in or absorbing excess sunlight. Also, they protect the eyes from dangerous blue light.

Mangoes are also a good source of vitamin A, which supports eye health. Lack of these nutrients can result in serious issues such as corneal scarring, night blindness, and dry eyes. 

 3. Improves hair and skin

Vitamin C is present in mangoes in high amounts. It cleanses your skin from deep inside your body, treats pores, wounds healing, and decreases wrinkles.

Vitamin C is necessary for producing collagen, a protein that gives the skin and hair its structure and fights against wrinkles and sagging. Our hair also requires vitamin C to promote hair health, reduce hair loss and improve hair growth.

Mangoes also contain vitamin A which helps to keep the scalp moisturized. Vitamin A produces sebum, the oily substance that makes your skin brighter and softer. This also keeps the hair healthy

4.  Enhances the immune system

Mangoes have nutrients that aid in enhancing the immune system. It contains vitamin A, a nutrient that helps fight infections. Moreover, it contains vitamin C, which is responsible for making more disease-fighting white blood cells. It also helps these white blood cells work more effectively and improves the body’s defense systems. It also contains folate, vitamins B and K which also aid in improving the body’s immunity.

The vitamin C, vitamin A, and antioxidants content of mangoes help to boost the immune system and prevent cold/flu.

5. Helps With Digestion

Mangoes contain digestive enzymes called amylases that aid the breakdown and stabilize the digestive system of protein, and also dietary fiber, which can help you avoid constipation by keeping the digestive tract working efficiently. 

It is also high in fiber which aids in preventing diseases related to the stomach (for example, stomach cancer).

6. Supports heart health

The mango fruit supports the heart’s health. It contains magnesium and potassium which are good for maintaining a healthy pulse. Also, these minerals help your blood vessels dilate and also maintain lower blood pressure levels. 

Mangoes are considered heart-healthy due to their high concentration of polyphenols. Polyphenols contain a unique antioxidant called mangiferin. This mangiferin protects heart cells against inflammation, oxidative stress, and controlled cells.

7. Help lose weight

Do you want to lose weight and flatten your tummy? Then replacing unhealthy foods with mangoes can help you skip the extra calories and lose weight. 

Mangoes are loaded with fibrous content,  low in calories but high in water content that may suppress fat cells and fat-related genes which improve digestive function and burn unwanted calories from the body in order to maintain normal body weight and flat tummy.

Mango leaf extract may help manage obesity and diabetes, which contribute to cardiovascular disease.

8. Important for Brain Health

Research suggests eating a mango a day may be important for maintaining and improving the brain’s function. It helps in improving your concentration and also boosts your memory.

Vitamin B6 in mangoes plays a role in improving mood, modifying sleeping patterns, and effective nerve functioning. 

9.  Improves sleep

Mango has vitamin B6, which is responsible for making serotonin, a chemical that aids with sleep and regulates our mood. (According to Laura M. Ali, RDN, a culinary registered dietitian based in Pittsburgh.)

10. Regulates diabetes

Mango leaves are good for regulating diabetes. Diabetic people should boil 5-6 mango leaves and drink them early in the morning. Moreover, the mango fruit has a low glycemic index, thus eating mangoes in adequate amounts will not increase your sugar level. 

11. Helps maintain cholesterol level

Mangoes contain a high level of vitamin c, fiber, and pectin. This qualifies it as the best fruit candidate when it comes to controlling or maintaining the level of cholesterol in the body.

12. Increase Libido

Mangoes contain Vitamin E, which helps to regulate sex hormones and boost sex drive.

Health Benefits Of the leaves of Mangoes 

It aids in the management of diabetes and the reduction of blood pressure. It is fantastic herbal medicine for treating dysentery. Mango leaves can help with respiratory issues.

 Mango leaf extract is the most effective natural medicine for people who have kidney stones or gallstones. Restlessness is a bothersome condition that causes a slew of issues. Mango leaves can effectively combat agitation. It can also be used to treat burns and earaches.

Why you should eat mangoes

Below are some of the reasons why you should eat mangoes:

1.      Mangoes contain a lot of nutrients that aid in healthy growth. These nutrients repair worn-out tissues and improve the immune system, thus, giving the body an added advantage when it comes to fighting diseases.

2.      Mangoes keep our eyes healthy. Mangoes improve our vision with the help of some of the nutrients it contains such as vitamin A. People with bad eyesight are encouraged to eat mangoes more often to improve their vision. 

3.      If you want better skin and healthy hair, you should eat mangoes more often. Eating mangoes can help prevent hair breakages and dry hair. Mangoes keep the hair follicles and scalp moisturized. It also keeps the skin smooth by removing skin pigments.

4.      People with high cholesterol levels can eat mangoes to keep their cholesterol at safe levels.

5.      Mangoes are highly beneficial to people with diabetes. Diabetic people who want to take in something sweet once in a while can eat mangoes or even boil 5-6 mango leaves and drink it early in the morning.

6.      Another reason why people should be encouraged to eat mangoes is that mangoes aid in digestion. Mangoes have enzymes that break down protein content to prevent excess protein content in the body. Too much protein in the body is bad and can even cause gout.

Health Tips on How to Enjoy Mangoes

The king of fruits can be consumed in a variety of ways, including drinks, appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Before you drink mango juice, you should be aware of the healthiest ways to eat it. Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your mango.

Make Sure The Mango Is Ripe

A mango is ripe enough to eat when it is soft. If you press it, an unripe mango will taste hard and bitter. If you want your mangos to ripen faster, wrap them in paper or store them beside apples or pears, which produce ethylene, the “ripening gas”.

Wash the mango

Wash your hands and wash the mango thoroughly before eating it. Rub away any dirt and debris with your hands or a brush when you are cleaning it.

Cut And Peel The Mango

Always use a clean knife and cutting board to cut a mango.  Hold the mango on a cutting board, then use a knife to cut around it. Starting at the tallest point of the mango. Slide it down to separate the mango peel from the flesh. Now that the skin has been removed, you can dice the peeled mango into cubes.

Take pleasure in your mango

Enjoy your mango fruits by using them in sauces, salad dressings, dips, stir-fries, chimichurri,  salads, smoothies, and even desserts. You will love it!

How to store mangoes

When mangos are ripe, place them in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process. Mangos can also be peeled, cubed, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for up to six months in an airtight container.

Conclusion

Mangoes are a luscious superfruit with a lot of health advantages. Vitamin C, as well as vitamins A, K, and E are abundant in mangoes. Magnesium and potassium are also present.

Mangoes also have a high concentration of water, dietary fiber, and other compounds that help to stabilize our digestive systems, protect us from infections, and regulate our heart rate and blood pressure for healthy skin and hair. It is also a potent antioxidant that aids in immunity and vision improvement.

It is therefore clearly evident that mangoes have a lot of health benefits and are good for a lot of people.

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