10 Healthy Reasons to Eat Mangoes

Mangos taste so good that people forget they are also healthy! 
Discover how the “king of fruits” can help you, plus fascinating trivia and a few mango cautions and concerns.

Health Benefits:
1.  Prevents Cancer:
Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.

2.  Lowers Cholesterol:
The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad stuff)

3.  Clears the Skin:
Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples.

4.  Eye Health:
One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.

5.  Alkalizes the Whole Body:
The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

6. Helps in Diabetes:
Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood.  The traditional home remedy involves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning. Mango fruit also have a relatively low glycemic index (41-60) so moderate quantities will not spike your sugar levels.

7. Improved Sex:
Mangos are a great source of vitamin E. Even though the popular connection between sex drive and vitamin E was originally created by a mistaken generalization on rat studies, further research has shown balanced proper amounts (as from whole food) does help in this area.

8. Improves Digestion:
Papayas are not the only fruit that contain enzymes for breaking down protein. There are several fruits, including mangoes, which have this healthful quality. The fiber in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.

9. Remedy for Heat Stroke
Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm to the body. From an ayurvedic viewpoint, the reason people often get diuretic and exhausted when visiting equatorial climates is because the strong “sun energy” is burning up your body, particularly the muscles.  The kidneys then become overloaded with the toxins from this process.

10. Boosts Immune system
The generous amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A in mangos, plus 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy and strong.


Facts and trivia:

• According to some, more mangos are eaten fresh than any other fruit in the world.
• Originated 4,000 plus years ago.
• Biologically a close relative with other flowering plants like cashew and pistachio.
• Originated in sub-Himalayan plains.
• In India where they are most heavily grown and eaten, mangos are known as “safeda.”
• There are over 1,000 different varieties of mangos.

 
Nutrition by the Numbers
One cup (225 gms contain) contains the following. Percentages apply to daily value.

• 105 calories
• 76 percent vitamin C (antioxidant and immune booster)
• 25 percent vitamin A  (antioxidant and vision)
• 11 percent vitamin B6 plus other B vitamins (hormone production in brain and heart disease prevention)
• 9 percent healthy probiotic fiber
• 9 percent copper (copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes plus production of red blood cells)
• 7 percent potassium (to balance out our high sodium intake)
• 4 percent magnesium

Mangos for the Skin: 

Externally:
Just blending up the mango and applying to the face is fast and easy. Mangos contain beta-carotene, which is converted by your body to vitamin A. That and vitamin C are crucial to skin self-repair.
Follow this link to see a more complete recipe: Mango Mud Mask. This has all the benefits of mango plus the exfoliating benefits of oatmeal and almonds.
For a less serious treatment of this mud mask, you can watch me making my own at…Randy’s Homemade Mango Mud Mast

Internally:
When eaten, mangos help resolve all skin problems including pimples. Extract the large pit or seed from green mangoes. You can eat this seed raw or cooked, or try a recipe like this Cucumber-Mint-Mango Lightness.