6 Reasons Why Eating Mangoes Is Good For Your Health

(NaturalHealth365) Mango benefits are astonishingly diverse, and the sheer number of different ways that mangoes can improve your health and vitality are quite impressive. When it comes to selecting a powerhouse fruit that will boost your health there are many choices, but eating mangoes will stand out even when compared to the most nutritious of fruits.

So, let’s take a look at why mangoes are such a smart choice for your diet.

1. Surprisingly high in key vitamins and minerals

Mangoes are high in vitamins A and C, but this is only the beginning of the vitamins and minerals that can be found in mangoes. Energy boosting B vitamins, such as B1, B2, B5, B6, niacin and folate, can all be found. Mangoes also contain Vitamin K, which is essential for bone strength. A wide range of minerals including calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium and more are also in mangoes.

2. Protect your vision with lutein and zeaxanthin

Lutein and zeaxanthin have both been found to protect vision and boost eye health. Mangoes are high in both lutein and zeaxanthin, which means that they can help protect your vision from such issues as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

In fact, a six-year study at the National Eye Institute in Maryland concluded that lutein and zeaxanthin can protect against both blindness and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration. The highest ranking sources of lutein are kale, dandelion leaves, turnip greens and spinach. The top sources for zeaxanthin are saffron and fruits. Mango benefits include being high in both these key nutrients.

3. Aiding your digestive system

Mangoes can also help improve your digestive system. The reason for this fact is that they are rich in enzymes that help break down proteins. In a surprising twist, eating mangoes may actually work to make your immune system healthier and more robust.

4. An array of cancer fighting compounds

Also, topping the mango benefits list is the fact that this tasty fruit may also help fight disease including leukemia. Compounds, such as quercetin, gallic acid and astragalin, may help protect the body from a range of cancers such as colon and prostate cancer.

5. Boost your immune system

Thanks to high levels of vitamin C, mangoes make for an easy way to boost the immune system. Given the range of other medical benefits, the fact that mangoes also boost the immune system helps to make them truly stand out among fruits.

6. Give your diet a little extra help

Mangoes benefits are not limited to its nutritional profile and cancer-fighting properties. Since mangoes are high in fiber and low in calories, they are great for dieting. A 2011 study out of the University of Oklahoma researched this issue by placing freeze-friend mango powder into a standard mouse diet.

They found that mice who consumed mango had reduced levels of body fat and leptin levels, which regulate appetite. The diet containing mangos also proved to lower glucose and cholesterol levels in the mice.

Low calorie foods that are high in fiber are exactly what you need if you want to lose weight. This means that the tasty mango is an easy pick for dieters who are looking for a little extra edge.

Consider eating mangoes both with your breakfast and as an after dinner treat to avoid those late night munchies. While mangoes are considered to be one of the least contaminated fruits, of course, always opt to go organic. If they aren’t in season, you can always buy frozen.

Should mangoes be incorporated into your diet? In short, the answer is yes! As you can see, the mango benefit list is quite long. Few fruits have as much to offer as the nutrient dense and immune system boosting mango.

So, don’t wait another day. This tasty fruit can be enjoyed in so many ways such as smoothies and shakes. Invest in a good blender (I use Blendtec and love it); experiment with some recipes and enjoy!

Sources:

http://humansciences.okstate.edu/nsci/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest/56-nsci-research-finds-health-benefits-in-mangos

http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/pressreleases/050513.asp

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