A research reveals the consumption of mangoes may potentially have a positive effect on blood sugar in obese individuals and reduce cancer risk. 
The study led by Oklahoma State University’s Nutritional Sciences Associate Professor Edralin Lucas examined the effects of daily mango consumption on clinical parameters and body composition in obese subjects. “Mango contains many nutrients and other bioactive compounds that can provide various health benefits aside from what we investigated,” Lucas said. “It is high in fibre, vitamins A and C, as well as other minerals.
In addition to the positive effects on body fat, blood lipids and glucose, it is not associated with serious side-effects such as negative effects on bone that is linked with the use of rosiglitazone, a drug commonly used to lower blood sugar.” Blood sugar levels at the conclusion of the study were significantly lower than the baseline in both male and female subjects. These findings are the result of a single study and more research is needed on the effects of mango consumption on human health and reduces the cancer risk.
“The results of this study support what we learned in our recent animal model, which found that mango improved blood glucose in mice fed a high fat diet,” said Dr Lucas. “The researches show the mangoes contain a complex mixture of polyphenolic compounds, while several other plants and their polyphenolic compounds, such as isoflavone from soy, epigallocatechin gallate from green tea, and proanthocyanidin from grape seed, have a positive effect on adipose tissue,” the researcher stated.
Another research led by Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation of Texas A & M University Assistant Professor and Research Director Susanne Mertens-Talcott examined the effects of polyphenols found in fresh mangos on cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. This study suggested that mango polyphenols might limit inflammatory response in both cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. The research was presented at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) in Boston.
The most popular fresh fruit in the world, mangoes are a whole lot more than just a delicious, refreshing treat produced by nature. As evidenced by copious scientific research, mangoes are also a powerful medicinal food, as they contain nutrients that can help clear up skin, promote eye health, stave off diabetes, and even prevent the formation and spread of cancer.
Research recently presented at a meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), for instance, revealed that eating mangoes every day can help moderate and even lower blood sugar levels, despite their natural sugar content. This is good news for people with type 2 diabetes who may benefit from consuming mangoes regularly as part of a low-sugar diet.
For their study, researchers tested the effects of mangoes on a group of obese animals, some of whom were given 10 grams of freeze-dried mango every day for 12 weeks. At the end of three months, the blood sugar levels of those animals that consumed mango were compared to those that did not consume mango. Based on the data, mango consumption was found to result in a significant decline in blood sugar levels.
“Although the mechanism by which mango exerts its effects warrants further investigation, we do know that mangoes contain a complex mixture of polyphenolic compounds,” says Dr. Edralin Lucas, Ph.D., author of the study.
Similar research out of Australia found back in 2006 that eating mango can also help decrease inflammation and resulting high cholesterol, as well as block the formation of various health conditions included under the banner of metabolic syndrome. In essence, mangoes actually work better than cholesterol drugs at naturally balancing and optimizing cellular function throughout the body.
Two of the most serious health conditions facing Americans today—obesity and cancer—are the subject of new mango nutrition research presented this week at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) in Boston. This preliminary research identifies important findings that merit further investigation to determine whether mangos can potentially have a positive effect on blood sugar in obese individuals and help to limit inflammation.
Preliminary research examines effects on blood sugar
A study led by Edralin Lucas, Ph.D., associate professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University, examined the effects of daily mango consumption on clinical parameters and body composition in obese subjects (body mass index, BMI ≥ 30kg/m2). Twenty adults (11 males and 9 females) participated in the study, which included daily dietary supplementation with 10 grams of freeze dried mango (equivalent to approximately 100 grams of fresh mango, according to Dr. Lucas) for 12 weeks.
Blood sugar levels at the conclusion of the study were significantly lower than the baseline in both male and female subjects. There were no significant changes in body composition for either gender, and BMI increased significantly in female subjects but not male subjects compared to baseline. These findings are the result of a single study and more research is needed on the effects of mango consumption on human health.
“The results of this study support what we learned in our recent animal model , , which found that mango improved blood glucose in mice fed a high fat diet,” said Dr. Lucas. “Although the mechanism by which mango exerts its effects warrants further investigation, we do know that mangos contain a complex mixture of polyphenolic compounds. Research has shown that several other plants and their polyphenolic compounds, such as isoflavone from soy , epigallocatechin gallate from green tea , and proanthocyanidin from grape seed , have a positive effect on adipose tissue.”
Exploring anti-inflammatory properties of mango polyphenols
Research led by Susanne Mertens-Talcott, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director for Research, Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation of Texas A&M University, examined the effects of polyphenols found in fresh mangos on cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. This study suggests that mango polyphenols may limit inflammatory response in both cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. Because this was an in vitro study, more research is needed to determine whether mango polyphenols can have the same effect in humans.
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