Eating Mango Supports Heart Health, Blood Sugar

You’d be hard-pressed to find a health professional that won’t agree that including fruit in a balanced diet is a wise choice for overall health. And among the many fruits available to us, mangoes are one of the most widely grown fruits in the world and a staple tropical fruit.

Eating mangoes can do more than just satisfy your sweet tooth. Eating mangoes regularly has been linked to many positive health outcomes, in part thanks to their naturally occurring good-for-you nutrients like beta-carotene and a range of plant compounds such as phenolics, polyphenols and tannins. 

For example, one study found that adults eating certain types of mango pulp daily for eight weeks experienced a noticeable drop in their systolic blood pressure, which is important for heart health. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to understand if these benefits apply to other groups, like postmenopausal women, who are at risk for heart and metabolic issues.

To bridge this knowledge gap, researchers out of the University of California, Davis, explored whether eating Ataulfo mangos every day has any impact on heart health measures among postmenopausal women who are either considered to be overweight or who have obesity, and the results were published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association.

How Was The Study Conducted?

To conduct this study, researchers recruited women aged 50 to 70 who were postmenopausal and living in California. This study was conducted over four weeks, with participants attending three study visits. Before each visit, the participants avoided strenuous exercise for 24 hours and came to the research center after fasting overnight.

The women were also instructed not to eat mangoes at least a week before the first visit or during the study. Participants also submitted sets of food logs during the study, so researchers could get a sense of their typical eating habits. At the first visit, health measurements like blood pressure and body stats were taken after a period of rest. Two hours later, measurements were repeated to check for any changes.

At the second visit two weeks later, participants ate 330 grams of mango, or about 2 cups of the fruit. Researchers conducted health checks before participants ate mango and two hours after. They were then asked to eat one packet of frozen mango (330 grams) daily for the next two weeks—half in the morning and the other half in the evening. At the final visit, after another overnight fast, the same health checks were repeated, participants ate mango again and more measurements were taken two hours later. 

Based on the results from the first study, researchers conducted a follow-up trial with just six participants. Measurements like blood pressure and blood samples were taken before they ate anything, then again one hour and two hours later. On one visit, they ate fresh mango pulp. On another visit, they consumed white bread with similar calories and carbohydrates as the mango. Measurements were repeated at the same time intervals after eating to study any changes in blood pressure and blood markers. Each visit was spaced at least two days apart.

The study began with 28 participants. However, one person did not complete the study, and three others had issues with their data that prevented it from being included in the final analysis. At the end of the study, 24 participants were evaluated.

What Did This Study Find?

The study found that eating mangoes had specific effects on heart and blood pressure measurements. Initially, there was no noticeable difference in arterial stiffness between the study visits. However, after eating mango pulp, arterial stiffness was reduced by 35 to 38% two hours later during both mango-eating periods. Arterial stiffness is a measurement of the flexibility of your blood vessels—basically, how easily they respond to changes in blood pressure. Stiff arteries can be a risk factor for heart disease.

Blood pressure taken while seated remained stable initially, but after two weeks of daily mango intake, certain blood pressure measures after meals improved. For example, systolic blood pressure dropped significantly compared to the no-mango period, decreasing by 6 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressure also lowered slightly, by 2.7 mmHg. Overall, regular mango intake seemed to positively influence certain aspects of heart health.

Two weeks of mango eating was also associated with a drop in cholesterol levels, which decreased by 9 mg/dL. There were short-term changes observed, too: LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased by 9.6 mg/dL two hours after eating, but only once mangoes were part of the daily diet for two weeks. 

After eating mangoes every day for two weeks, participants’ blood sugar levels were noticeably lower two hours after eating compared to when they hadn’t started the mango routine yet. Specifically, blood sugar dropped by 5 mg/dL two hours after eating, showing a positive change. 

Six participants with slightly higher fasting blood sugar levels joined a second trial to explore how their bodies process glucose after eating. The study found that eating white bread caused both a drop in blood pressure and an increase in heart rate, while mango consumption led to lower blood sugar levels compared to white bread. 

Additionally, insulin levels were highest after eating white bread and stayed elevated longer than after eating mango. Eating mango caused a smaller and shorter insulin response compared to bread, and skipping food entirely led to the lowest insulin levels of all. These results suggest that mango may be a good choice for someone looking to satisfy a sweet tooth while managing their blood sugar levels.

It is important to consider certain limitations of this study when interpreting these results. One limitation of this study is the large amount of mango participants ate. Though the 330 grams of mango used in this study was intended to explore the fruit’s potential benefits, it’s worth noting that most people consume much smaller portions. The researchers share that women of childbearing age typically eat about 90 grams of mango daily, and adults over 60 eat around 91 grams. Future studies using these more common portion sizes would be valuable. 

Another noteworthy limitation of the study is the small sample size. A limited number of participants may reduce the generalizability of the findings and increase the likelihood of statistical anomalies, making it more difficult to draw robust conclusions. Future studies with larger and more diverse participant pools would help validate these results and provide greater insight. Finally, because the study involved postmenopausal women, the findings can’t automatically apply to other groups. And it’s worth considering that this study was funded in part by the National Mango Board.

How Does This Apply To Real Life?

If you’re a post-menopausal woman dealing with weight or obesity, here’s some juicy news: incorporating mangoes into your diet might be a delicious step toward better health. Packed with nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium, mangoes are more than just a fun snack or smoothie ingredient. According to this data, they may help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels, and support overall heart health. While the study suggests eating two cups daily, you might not need to go all-in to see benefits. Even smaller, consistent portions may make a difference, especially when paired with other healthy habits like regular exercise and a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.

Whether blended into a smoothie, tossed into a salad or simply enjoyed on their own, these golden fruits provide a simple, satisfying way to fuel your body and support overall health. Some simple ways to eat more mangos include:

Pro tip: Frozen, freeze-dried, dried and canned mangoes provide the same nutrients as fresh options, giving you even more choices for including this fruit in your diet. Just be sure to look out for excess added sugar in packaged versions.

The Bottom Line

This recent study published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association showed some intriguing potential benefits of adding mangoes to your diet, particularly if you are in the postmenopausal stage of life. The research found that eating Ataulfo mangoes regularly was linked to reduced blood sugar levels, improved cholesterol markers and lower arterial stiffness after meals. 

Ultimately, this study adds to the growing evidence that mangoes are more than just a delicious tropical fruit; they’re a nutrient-rich addition to a healthy, balanced diet. Whether you’re trying to enhance your heart health, manage blood sugar or simply enjoy the natural sweetness of mangoes, these findings make a compelling case for including them in your meal rotation (as if we needed another reason to love them). Just remember to enjoy mangoes as part of a varied, nutrient-dense diet tailored to your specific health goals and lifestyle. After all, the best dietary choices are sustainable, enjoyable and balanced—qualities that mangoes certainly bring to the table!