The Benefits Of Mango

Also called the peach of the tropics, the mango is a fruit that has been well known since ancient times by the Indian tribes of the tropics and is currently traded around the world.

It is believed that the mango would help us to take care of our hair and our skin, at the same time that it would nourish and purify the body with its antioxidant and diuretic properties. But what is true in these claims? Let’s find out.

Mango properties

Thanks to its high content of Vitamins A and C, and its malic and palmitic acids, the mango is a fruit with an interesting antioxidant property. Therefore, it is considered that it could help protect us from heart disease, for example.  Although there are studies in this regard, these are not conclusive or have not been carried out in humans yet.

In 2017, research was published in NCBI on the protective effect of nutrients in different fruits to prevent heart disease. In it, mango intake is mentioned as a good option to improve glucose tolerance and decrease adiposity, two cardiovascular risk factors, however further research is needed in this regard.

Regarding its anticancer effect, a comprehensive analysis from 2017 found some evidence that the anti-inflammatory components of mango could help fight and prevent the reproduction of disease cells. However, this is only a potential effect that needs further study.

Fiber is one of the main benefits of mango, which together with the fructose it has, would facilitate intestinal transit and act as a natural laxative, thus preventing constipation in an easy and effective way.

A study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, concluded that consuming mango against constipation could have better effects against the symptoms of this condition compared to supplements that contain similar amounts of soluble fiber.

On the other hand, it should be noted that this food concentrates a group of digestive enzymes known as amylases, which would help to break down large food molecules to facilitate the digestive process.

Lose weight

Mango contains a high percentage of water. It provides us with few calories and easily assimilable sugars. For this reason, the mango would be a recommended fruit when it comes to losing weight because of its satiating capacity.

According to a study, African mango extract could help you lose weight.

Rich in minerals

It also provides us with a large amount of minerals, one of the main benefits of mango, to prevent certain diseases. Some of the minerals that it gives us are:

• Iron : This mineral is essential for our body, it prevents fatigue and helps us to strengthen our defenses against diseases.
• Copper : Beneficial for hair health.
• Calcium : One of the most important minerals for the formation of bones.

Thanks to its high iron content, this fruit would be beneficial to prevent anemia. In addition, due to its high content of vitamin C, it would facilitate the absorption of iron.

How to consume mango

It is consumed both alone and in salads and juices. The skin is not eaten, to consume it fresh it must be peeled, preserving all the benefits of the mango.

It is recommended to peel it in a similar way to how we would peel a kiwi. That is, cutting the fruit in half and separating the pulp from the skin with a large spoon.