Mangos Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels Among Obese People

29 Apr 2013 --- The positive health effects of Mangos have been recently explored and presented by researchers at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). They found that mangos have properties that can help regulate blood sugar levels among people suffering from obesity.

The study, which was led by Edralin Lucas, Ph.D., evaluated what effect eating mangos everyday would have on a total of twenty obese adult people. The participants ate 10 grams of freeze-dried mango everyday for 12 weeks.

At the end of the study period they found that the blood sugar levels of the participants were much lower than at the start of the study.

Among both genders there wasn't any substantial change in body composition, however, BMIs (body mass indexes) went up among the female participants.

The authors noted that these results are only from a single study and that more research is necessary to fully understand the health effects of mango consumption among obese people.

Obesity is a serious public health issue in the U.S., where a total of twelve states have 30+% obesity rates, compared to just one in 2007. Since 1995, obesity rates have risen by 90+% in 10 states and have doubled in another 7.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is a main cause of: type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, liver and gallbladder disease and high cholesterol.

Researchers have long been looking for factors that can help prevent the health effects of obesity. This study, along with others, shows promise for those suffering from the condition.

According to Dr. Lucas:

   "The results of this study support what we learned in our recent animal model, which found that mango improved blood glucose in mice fed a high fat diet. Although the mechanism by which mango exerts its effects warrants further investigation, we do know that mangos contain a complex mixture of polyphenolic compounds.

    Research has shown that several other plants and their polyphenolic compounds, such as isoflavone from soy, epigallocatechin gallate from green tea , and proanthocyanidin from grape seed , have a positive effect on adipose tissue."

An average mango has an energy value per 100g of approximately 60 kcal, they have numerous health benefits and nutrients, they are naturally high in prebiotic dietary fiber (substances that encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria, not to be confused with probiotics), vitamin C, and antioxidant vitamins A and C, as well as vitamin B6. Mango contains triterpene and lupeol, which have been found to be an effective inhibitor in laboratory models of prostate and skin cancer.

The health benefits of mango consumption have been explored in previous studies,. Texas AgriLife Research food scientists found that mango able to prevent or stop certain colon and breast cancer cells in the lab.