Eating 100 grams (or 10 gm freeze-dried) of fresh mango lowers blood sugar, especially in obese people, US scientists reported in the journal Nutrition and Metabolic Insights. However the results were based on a small study of 20 overweight adults aged between 20 and 50 years.
Mangoes are packed with antioxidant vitamins C and A, and folate. The fruit is also a good source of fibre, copper, and vitamin B6, along with 20 other nutrients.
“Mangoes contain many bioactive compounds, including mangiferin, an antioxidant that contributes to the fruit’s beneficial effects on blood glucose. In addition, mangos contain fibre, which can help lower glucose absorption into the blood stream,” said lead author Edralin Lucas, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University, College of Human Sciences.
“The study should be interpreted with caution because of inherent inaccuracies of pilot studies with small numbers of subjects. My clinical experience shows that sugar levels in India go crazy each summer during the mango season,” said Dr Anoop Misra, Fortis-C-DOC Centre for Diabetes.
In India, 60 million people have diabetes, estimates the International Diabetes Federation. Moreover, around 30%-50% urban and 5%-20% rural adults are overweight, according to Indian researchers.
Being overweight triggers several diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, among others.
For the pilot study, eleven men and nine women ages with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 to 45 kg/m2 stuck to their usual diet, exercise habits, and prescribed medicines but added 10 gram of freeze-dried mango.
Researchers found that after 12 weeks, participants had reduced blood glucose but there was no change in overall body weight. Waist size dropped in men, but not in women.