The most popular fruits in America are bananas, apples, berries, and oranges.

Mangoes? They don’t even make the top 10.1

But all of us should be eating more of them. New studies at Texas A&M and Oklahoma State universities show they have powerful health benefits.2

Here are four reasons you should pick up a mango next time you’re at the grocery store:   

1. They Prevent Heart Disease

Texas A&M researchers found that whether you’re fat or thin, mangoes can cut your risk of heart disease. They gathered two groups of study subjects. One group was obese. The other had normal body weight.

The researchers took baseline readings of both groups for cardiovascular health, including levels of PAI-1. This is a protein that is a risk factor for blood clots, stroke, and hardening of arteries.3

All of the subjects ate 14 ounces of mango pulp a day for 42 days. That’s the equivalent of about one large mango.4

At the end of the 42 days, both groups showed a dramatic decrease in PAI-1. Both the obese and lean groups cut their level by about 25%.

2. They Reduce Blood Sugar Levels

Oklahoma State University researchers had 25 healthy men eat a hearty breakfast every day. Some days the researchers added a 2-ounce mango shake. Other days they did not.5

They tested subjects’ blood sugar one, two, four hours after they ate their big breakfast. On the days the participants had a mango shake, their blood sugar was significantly reduced compared to days they did not.

3. They Boost Your Good Gut Bacteria

In a second study at Texas A&M, researchers examined the effects of six weeks of eating mangos on gut bacteria. Adult subjects ate 14 ounces of mango pulp every day.

Scientists found that after regular mango eating, all participants had higher levels of an enzyme called Aspergillus oryzae. It’s a marker for beneficial bacteria.

Researchers said most obese subjects had low levels of the enzyme when the study started. But after six weeks of daily mango eating, they had normal levels.6[vi]

4. They Fight Inflammation

Another study at Texas A&M tested the anti-inflammatory effects of mangoes.

Researchers divided subjects into two groups. One ate 14 ounces of mango pulp on day one and day 42 of the study. The other group ate mango every day.

There was no change in inflammatory markers in the group that ate mangoes on only the first and last day of the study.

But every single person in the group eating mangoes daily showed a significant decrease in the inflammation markers.7

The researchers noted that daily mango consumption appeared to “offer increased anti-inflammatory benefits compared to sporadic mango consumption.”

Healthy Mango Smoothie Recipe

Try this delicious and healthy mango smoothie recipe.

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup frozen organic banana

1 cup frozen mango (non-organic is OK)

½ cup frozen organic strawberries

Combine ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.8

Why Non-Organic Mangoes Are OK

Mangoes have an advantage over many other fruits… Even non-organic mangoes test low for pesticides. That’s because mangoes generally require little spraying. And agricultural chemicals can’t penetrate the thick peel.9
So even if you can’t find organic mangoes, feel free to eat conventionally farmed versions of this super-healthy tropical fruit.

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References:
1 http://www.pbhfoundation.org/pdfs/about/res/pbh_res/State_of_the_Plate_2015_WEB_Bookmarked.pdf
2 https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/wh-nh060117.php
3 http://www.fasebj.org/content/31/1_Supplement/431.3.abstract?sid=7c9c8e1e-cfc8-498f-9e9a-b12accc10e50
4 http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i_mango.htm#DISEASES
5 http://www.fasebj.org/content/31/1_Supplement/166.3.abstract?sid=7c9c8e1e-cfc8-498f-9e9a-b12accc10e50
6 http://www.fasebj.org/content/31/1_Supplement/166.8.abstract?sid=7c9c8e1e-cfc8-498f-9e9a-b12accc10e50
7 http://www.fasebj.org/content/31/1_Supplement/646.14.abstract?sid=7c9c8e1e-cfc8-498f-9e9a-b12accc10e50
8 https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/food/only-4-smoothie-recipes-youll-ever-need
9 https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/non-organic-food/non-organic-mangoes