Calories in mango, and its health benefits

Mango is one of the fruits tropical fruits that are common and loved by many people. It's a beautifully looking fruit, tasty, juicy, and rich in many vitamins and minerals important for the body's health.

Mango contains a lot of nutrients, it is a healthy source of carbohydrates, low in fat, and provides many health benefits, In this article, we’ll learn about the calories in mango and its important health benefits.

Calories in mango

Here are the calories and full nutrition details in 100 grams of mango:-

• Carbohydrates

A 100-gram serving of mango contains about 15 grams of carbohydrates, split between 14 grams of natural sugar and 1.5 grams of dietary fiber.

Estimated glycemic index Mango scores about 51, and foods with a glycemic index of 55 or less are considered low glycemic foods, so mango is a safe food especially for diabetics.

• fat

Mango is almost free of fat, providing about 0.4 grams of fat per 100 gram serving. These fats are healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

• protein

Mango is not a good source of protein, as a 100 gram serving provides only about 0.8 grams Protein.

• Vitamins and minerals

Mango is a fruit rich in many different vitamins, it is a good source to get vitamin C, a 100 gram serving of mango can provide 40% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C.

Mango also provides amounts of Vitamin A, andVitamin E, andVitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, niacin, and pantothenic acid.

Along with vitamins, mango can also provide some important minerals, like copper, andpotassium, andmagnesium.

• calories

Mango is considered a low-calorie food calories, as 100 grams of it provides about 60 calories only, consisting of roughly 91% carbohydrates, 5% protein, and 5% fats.

Health benefits of mango

Since mango has many vitamins and minerals, plus different plant compounds and antioxidants, this fruit can provide many important health benefits for the body, which include:-

1. Mango improves cell functions

Mango gives large amounts of vitamin C, which helps improve cell health in the body. It's also needed for immune functions, strengthening connective tissues, and healthy blood vessel walls.

Vitamin C deficiency is rare but can happen if you don’t get enough vitamin C, which can cause problems like slow wound healing, joint pain, and in extreme cases can lead to scurvy, a disease that can be fatal if not treated.

2. Mango protects against cancer

Mango has polyphenol compounds that give many health benefits. These polyphenols act as antioxidants that repair cells and protect them from damage that could lead to cancer.

Mango also has antioxidants that can help protect body cells and slow down damage caused by free radicals. Experts think these might cause diseases like cancer, hardening of the arteries, and some chronic illnesses.

3. Mango helps balance body fluids

The potassium in mango might help along with low sodium in controlling blood pressure and balancing body fluids, especially plasma volume.

Experts recommend women adults get at least 2600 mg of potassium. You can get 168 mg of potassium in a 100 gram serving of mango.

4. Mango provides vitamin A

Mango is a good source of carotenoids, which are antioxidants that fight oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to causing many diseases, like Metabolic syndromes, and atherosclerosis, andOsteoporosis, andObesity, dementia, diabetes, cancer, andArthritis.

The body can partly convert carotenoids in cells into vitamin A. Vitamin A is needed for healthy vision, skin, reproductive health, and proper cell growth. There are 25 types of carotenoids in mango, like provitamin A, lutein, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene.

Mango allergy

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), the allergy-causing traits of mango are complex. Some people allergic to mango may also be allergic to some other foods, like cashews andpistachios and papaya.

People allergic to poison ivy should be careful with mango too, since mango belongs to the same plant family.

Mango tree sap and the skin of mango fruit contain Urushiol, which causes rash like poison ivy does. So someone else can peel the mango for an allergic person so they can enjoy eating it safely.

There are many allergy symptoms that appear on people who have it, like skin rash, itching, coughing, shortness of breath, and lip swelling. So if you think you're allergic to mango, you should see a doctor to get the right diagnosis.

Storing mango and food safety

If mangoes are not ripe, you can store them in a paper bag at room temperature until they ripen. It's better not to refrigerate them before ripening, but after they get soft and ripe, you can put them in the fridge to keep them longer.

You can keep a fully ripe mango in the fridge for up to 5 days. It's also suggested to peel the mango and store it in a sealed container to extend storage in the fridge for a few more days, or freeze it for up to six months.

How to prepare mango in recipes

Mango has a big seed inside so it's not easy to cut. Good ways to cut it are dicing the skin or slicing it.

You can enjoy fresh mango as a snack with some yogurt, or cut mango into a salad and serve it as an appetizer, or add some whipped cream and grated nuts on the mango for a tasty dessert.

Frozen mango pieces are great for making juices. You can add them with other tropical fruits like banana and pineapple, or just add them with milk or almond milk.

Although you can peel the mango to eat it, the peel is also considered edible.

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