Dive Brief:
- Researchers found that mango consumption helped prevent the loss of beneficial gut bacteria that comes from a high-fat diet, according to a study at Oklahoma State University's Department of Nutritional Sciences.
- Dried mango powder was given to mice on different diets. After two months, the mice weighed the same, but the ones who were given more mango had lower body fat.
- Results showed the mice who had more mangos also had lower glucose and cholesterol levels.
Dive Insight:
Obesity and high-fat diets are associated with the development of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Various drugs prescribed to treat these diseases by lowering blood glucose and lipids, can have serious side effects.
A natural alternative such as mango could improve health and perhaps reduce dependence on medication. In the write-up about the research on the university's website, researcher Edralin Lucas noted that a common drug used to lower blood sugar causes brittle bones. Mango is high in fiber, vitamins A and C and other minerals and phytochemicals.
Diabetics have been told to avoid mangos because their sugar levels are higher than other fruits. This new research could advance the argument that mango consumption is beneficial for diabetics, and joins a growing body of research that highlights beneficial aspects of the popular fruit.