Mango health benefits are so fascinating and incredible that you may find them hard to believe. The salient feature of summers, for most of us, is the juicy mangoes. What are the health benefits of eating mangoes? Let’s find out!
These succulent fruits, oozing the fruity juice, are favorite amongst many. The sweet pulp, when chilled, gives some of the most elaborate desserts a run for their money.
Since mangoes are a tropical fruit, Pakistan has an ample local supply of mangoes, but that is not all.
Pakistan is also blessed with a wide variety of mangoes. Differing in shape, size, taste, and even eating style, these different types of mangoes are a hallmark of the country.
Mango is also a very versatile fruit. It is eaten raw but is also used to make pickles and chutneys. Smoothies and milkshakes are also popular breakfast choices.
Mango desserts also have a special place in our kitchens and restaurants, alike.
They are also not just used to satiate the sweet tooth but work equally well in savory dishes. From the safer salads to the more daring curries, the way mango is utilized is a homage to its sophisticated palate.
Yet, many people refrain from mangoes from the fear of gaining weight and thus prefer to opt for other ‘healthier choices. This, however, is a case of gross misrepresentation of mangoes that is rampant in calorie-conscious circles.
On the contrary, mangoes bring immense health benefits to the table.
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Mango Health Benefits – Video
The huge list of wonderful health benefits of mangoes ranges from preventing chronic ailments to obesity, to helping to see sharp to make you look sharp, mangoes offer great advantages for improving well-being.
Here is a list of the 14 best mango health benefits:
1. Age-Related Macular Denegation
While old age might bring wisdom and experience, it also gets the dreaded diseases as well. One such ailment is age-related macular degeneration.
The macula is located near the retina, and it helps in making the central vision sharp and fine. When it undergoes degeneration, people start seeing blurry images, bright spots, and even hallucinating images.
Their perception of color is also affected as a result. AMD can also lead to blindness in some people.
Mangoes contain zeaxanthin, a compound that helps in keeping the eyes healthy. It also is beneficial for preventing the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
2. Good for the Gut
Mangoes have fatty acids in them that promote a healthy gut. It also facilitates the release of secretions that improve digestion. The phytochemicals in the mango also carry a gastroprotective effect.
They help in the reduction of inflammation in the gut as well, which is common in ailments like ulcerative colitis.
The mango peel also contains these useful phytochemicals. There are several recipes that also use mango peels alongside the pulp, and perhaps, it’s time to try those!
3. High in Antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that are vital for health. There are many reactions occurring around the body that produce free radicals. Our environment also contributes to the production of these dangerous compounds in the body.
Free radicals damage healthy cells of the body and may cause cancer, alongside heart disease. Antioxidants help in neutralizing these free radicals and thereby curbing the risk of chronic and terminal diseases.
4. Diabetes
Diabetics may not get to enjoy mangoes as much as they would like to, but by eating mangoes, you can lower your risk of diabetes.
The benefits offered by mangoes, including lowered risk of obesity, decreased fat in the blood, lowering blood sugar, are helpful in preventing diabetes.
5. Heart Health
One way to have a healthy heart is by eating scrumptious mangoes. Since mangoes contain vitamin C, potassium and are also a good source of fiber, they help to keep the heart vessels healthy, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.
6. Fluid Balance
Mango is also a good source of potassium. It thus helps in preserving fluid balance in the body, which may be what your bloated body needs. Potassium is also effective for controlling hypertension in the body.
7. Low in Fat
Often, it is perceived that mango is fattening, however, that is a big misconception withheld by people. On the contrary, one cup of mango contains only about 0.6g of fat.
Furthermore, this fat is also the ‘good’ monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
8. Natural Sugar
Rather than indulging in desserts that are sweetened with sugar, one should opt for the healthier option of mangoes.
Sugar is extremely bad for health; it causes a spike in blood sugar levels, brain damage, inflammation around the body, and poor immunity, to name a few.
The natural sugar inside of the mangoes does not pose such dangers to the health, when taken in moderation, of course. This is one of the most fascinating mango health benefits.
9. Prevents Constipation
Often, fruits with edible peels like apples are considered to be high in fiber and thus great for the digestive system. Except, a fleshy fruit-like mango is also great for resolving the pesky constipation problem that you might have trouble talking about.
Mangoes are high in fiber and water, both of which are effective for preventing constipation. The former adds bulk to the feces, whereas the latter makes them softer and easier to pass through the GI tract.
10. Protects Against Cancer
Mangoes not only taste like heaven, but they also carry important health benefits, and cancer prevention is one of the salient ones.
As our lifestyles, environment, and diet has become more conducive to cancer growth. The fact that mangoes help to avert this risk has profound importance.
The micronutrients found in cancer help in decreasing the size of the tumors. They also aid in suppressing the growth of cancer cells.
The prognosis is especially good for breast cancer, which is a leading cause of death in women in Pakistan.
Similarly, the carotenoid in the mangoes also helps in reducing the risk of colon cancer.
As colon cancer does not present symptoms in the early stages and tends to metastasize, this benefit brought on by mango is extremely beneficial for health.
11. Skin and Hair Health
Another mango health benefit is that they are good for your skin and hair health. Not do mangoes taste great, but they also make you look great.
Mangoes are rich in Vitamin A that aids in the production of sebum, which makes your hair look shiny and less dull.
It also moisturizes the scalp as well. Vitamin C in mangoes is also good for brightening the skin.
It also promotes the development of collagen, an important protein in the skin that makes it taut, hydrated, and looking youthful.
The antioxidants in mangoes aid in preventing damage to the hair follicles from oxidative stress.
12. Weight Control
Many people think mangoes are fattening and should be stayed away from.
However, this is not entirely correct. Obviously, when you overeat them, you are increasing your overall calorie intake, but when in moderation, they are actually helpful for weight control.
The phytochemicals in mangoes facilitate the suppression of fat cells and genes associated with fat in the body.
Moreover, mango peels are also beneficial for preventing the formation of fatty tissue in the body.
So, there is no need to deprive yourself of juicy goodness. It’s doing your weight a favor, or two!
13. Vitamin C
Whereas citrus fruits are famous for being rich in vitamin C, another fruit that is rich in this essential vitamin is mango. One cup of mango gets around 76% of the vitamin C requirement for the day.
Vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant. It boosts immunity, which is especially important during the pandemic. Mango also helps in lowering inflammation in the body.
Similarly, Vitamin C is also good for moderating blood pressure in the body.
People suffering from hypertension can enjoy chilled mangoes and know the vitamin C in them is helping in relaxing their arteries, so their blood can flow freely and with ease.
However, at the same time, continue with the treatment recommended by the doctor for a holistic healing approach.
Alongside protecting the heart from high blood pressure, vitamin C is also effective for reducing the risk of heart disease.
Moreover, as Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron in the body, it also helps avert the risk of anemia.
A rich mango salad with some iron-rich meals is the perfect way to boost health.
A very important function of Vitamin C, and by extension, mangoes is the role played in preserving memory. As we age, our memory starts faulting us, but in the case of dementia, neurodegeneration is grave.
It also is irreversible. Vitamin C however, helps in preventing this condition.
14. Vitamin A
Another jewel in the ‘mango’ crown is that it is a good source of Vitamin A in the body. Eating one cup of mango helps you get 25% of the daily requirement of this nutrient.
Vitamin A essentially refers to a group of micronutrients like retinol, retinal, retinyl esters, etc. They collectively carry out important tasks around the body, like cell growth.
Moreover, Vitamin A facilitates vision and also sustains the health of the eye. A sufficient quantity of vitamin A is also helpful for preventing age-related macular degeneration as well.
Untreated and severe AMD can also lead to blindness; thus, vitamin A is extremely important for the body.
Vitamin A is also an excellent antioxidant. It, therefore, helps to lower oxidative stress in the body, which also helps to lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even cognitive decline.
Since it also plays a role in the development of sperm and egg development in the body. It helps with fetal tissue development and growth.
The deficiency of Vitamin A has severe implications for health. It increases the risk of death and anemia. However, at the same time, overdoing vitamin A is also dangerous and toxic for health.
The overdose of Vitamin A is usually when supplements are overdone, so you can eat mangoes without fear of overdoing vitamin A.
It is also important that you only take supplements when prescribed by a professional, and not on your own accord.
It is especially important for women who are of childbearing age, or are already pregnant, to contact a credible doctor first about their Vitamin A needs, as otherwise, both mother and baby can be harmed. Thus, talk to your GP first.
You can schedule an appointment with the top General Physician in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad through oladoc.com.
You can also call our helpline at 042 3890 0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for your diet-related concerns.
