Mangoes- 11 Amazing Health Benefits

When you savor delicious and succulent mangoes every season, you probably don’t think about the immense health benefits coming with every bite. A common nickname for mangoes is actually ‘the king of fruits’. Beyond the sweet, luscious taste of mangoes, they also contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that assure your optimum health.

For decades, mangoes have been used to soothe stomachs. Similar to papayas, they contain certain enzymes with stomach comforting properties. As the popularity of mangoes has spread, many food manufacturers have introduced jellies, jams, squash, pickles, marinades, and spices that include pure mango flavor.

Mango is rich in fiber, so if you have at least one mango every day in your diet, you are almost guaranteed to prevent constipation, piles, and symptoms of a spastic colon. Research and studies published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety have demonstrated that dietary fiber has a positive effect on eliminating degenerative diseases, including certain cancers and heart conditions. Now you have even more reasons to include this delicious fruit in your daily diet. The more you participate in strenuous activities, the more bodily potassium you lose, which is yet another helpful side effect of mangoes – high potassium content!

Nutritional Value of Mangoes

Mangoes belong to the same family as that of pistachios and cashews. Some common names for mango are maggot, manga, and mangou, depending on the region or nation. It originated in southern Asia, more specifically in Burma and eastern India, almost 4,000 years ago. Many stories in Indian mythology include the mention of the mango plant, and Lord Buddha is said to have often meditated in a mango grove.

According to Indian beliefs, mangoes symbolize life (it is the national fruit of India) and is used in almost every sacred ritual. Mango leaves are almost always used for festivals and wedding decorations. ‘Chutney’ made from Indian mangoes is the original chutney and has become universally popular. Today, India remains the world’s major producer of mangoes.

Health Benefits of Mangoes

Mangoes are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin B6, as well as a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C. They are rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium, and copper, and they are one of the best sources of quercetin. This powerful antioxidant has the power to neutralize free radicals throughout the body. Ailments like heart disease, premature aging, cancer and degenerative diseases are due to these free radicals that damage the cells.

In China, mangoes are sweet and sour and offer a cooling sensation. The tonic made from mangoes in Chinese herbal medicine is known as yin tonic, and it is used to treat bleeding gums, anemia, cough, constipation, nausea, fever, sea sickness and as a cure for weak digestion.

Cure Acne

Perhaps you are surprised to know that mangoes are closely related to skin health. Other than bringing a healthy glow to your face, they also help to lighten skin color. You can easily enhance your beauty by including this tasty fruit in your diet on a regular basis.

Mangoes effectively treat acne by opening the clogged pores of the skin. Once these pores are opened, acne formation will eventually stop. Unclogging the pores of the skin is the most effective way to eliminate acne. To enjoy this benefit, there is no need to eat them every day; you need to remove the pulp and apply it on the skin for around 10 minutes, then rinse it off.

Slow the Signs of Aging

Mangoes contain high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C, which both help to produce collagen proteins inside the body. Collagen helps to protect blood vessels and the body’s connective tissues, thereby slowing down the skin’s natural aging process. Therefore, mangoes can rightly be called an anti-aging food. Dietary supplementation is the best way to restore your youth in a natural and delicious way.

Promote Brain Health

Mangoes have abundant quantities of vitamin B6, which is vital for maintaining and improving the brain’s function. These vitamins aid in the amalgamation of the major neurotransmitters that contribute in determining mood and the modification of sleeping patterns. They naturally provide significant quantities of this vitamin. With mangoes as a part of your diet, you can be assured of a healthy brain and effective nerve functioning. You will also be avoiding medicinal supplements, which have a long list of possible side effects. The Glutamine acid content in mangoes also improves concentration and the power of your memory.

Boost Immunity

As mentioned earlier, similar to carrots, mangoes are rich in beta-carotene, a powerful carotenoid. This element of mango helps in to enhance the immune system of the body and make it impervious to bacteria and toxins. Excess beta-carotene is also transformed into vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A is another antioxidant vitamin and gives you additional protection against the free radicals that can harm your internal systems. Thus, mangoes are a great choice for food items to add into your regular diet. They not only increase your chances of living a disease-free life but is also a pleasure to eat due to its magnificent taste.

Diabetes Management

Further research is still ongoing, but some studies have already revealed that mangoes are a great natural remedy for diabetes. It was a long-told myth that diabetic patients should avoid mangoes because of its sweet taste; now it is being shown that other than the fruit, the mango leaves are also helpful in curing diabetes. Place 10 or 15 mango leaves in warm water and close it with a lid before going to bed. In the morning, drink the water on an empty stomach after filtering the leaves. Regular practice of this method has shown positive results for diabetic patients in the management of their blood sugar levels.

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How to Buy and Store Mangoes?

Some varieties of mangoes do not turn red, orange or yellow. If you prefer to buy these alternative green varieties, try to look for other signs of ripeness like a sweet aroma.

The ripe mangoes should give slightly to light pressure from the fingertip and you should see a slight depression on the surface. Even if you buy them unripe, keep the mangoes in a paper bag in a warm place; they will ripen within two days. If you keep the unripe mangoes at room temperature, it may take them up to 1 week to fully ripen.

You can store ripe mangoes in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks, or they can be dried, frozen, cooked in syrup or puréed. If you buy dry mangoes, be sure to rehydrate them in warm water for about four hours before adding them to your recipe.

A Few words of caution

It is possible to suffer from mango allergies. Some people can be sensitive to mangoes since they belong to the Anacardiaceae family and are therefore a distant relative of poison ivy. The severity of this skin allergy varies between individuals. However, the peel and juice of mangoes are more responsible for this allergy, while the flesh of the fruit has a relatively low chance of inducing this allergic reaction.

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