Mangoes are popular with everyone. The king of fruits, whether dasheri, langra, chausa, or alphonso, is enjoyed in practically every region of India. Mangoes are popular throughout the summer and monsoon seasons because they are juicy, pulpy, aromatic, and sweet. You can eat them ripe or raw, or as a complement in rasam or curries, or in cakes, chutneys, and other dishes.
Now that July 22 is National Mango Day, you have even more reasons to savor the fruit in all its magnificence.
There are around 1,500 mango varieties grown commercially in India, including dasheri, langra, chausa, Bombay green, and fazri in the north and banganapalli, totapuri, neelum, pairi, suvarnarekha, mulgoa, kalapadi, and rumani in the south. Likewise, variants such as alphonso, kesar, mankurad, fernandin and vanraj are grown in western India and langra, fazri, chausa, zardalu, himsagar and malda in eastern India.
Mangoes include a high concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and carbs. As a result, they are also popular among the health-conscious.
We could go on and on about the benefits of mangoes, but there are a few myths that cast this fruit in the ‘unhealthy’ category and deprive many people of its delicious taste. As a result, despite being a terrific comfort food that makes one feel better, mangoes are not included in many people’s daily diets.
This is especially true for diabetics who believe they should avoid mangoes due to their sweet taste. However, experts believe that this is not always the case, and that eating the fruit in moderation is essential. “Mangoes have some significant benefits over other fruits,” says nutritionist Kavita Devgan.
They have more fiber, which helps you control your hunger. They have less calories (approximately 95 for a medium fruit), but are lower in fat and sodium, have no cholesterol, and contain more beta-carotenes. These potent antioxidants are better for your immune system and help repair cell damage than any other fruit. Mangoes are not only a good source of vitamin A, but they are also high in vitamin C. Carotenoids (such as beta carotene) and bioflavonoids are also abundant in mangoes.”
As per Devgan, eating mangoes can give you a rich dose of potassium too. “Your body needs potassium to help regulate blood pressure and heartbeat, but many people don’t get enough of it from regular diet. Mangoes can give the much-needed potassium,” she adds.
Mangoes are also thought to produce heat in the body or raise the body temperature. However, Devgan claims that no fruit or meal, including mangoes, can generate excessive heat in the body, and that there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. “The amount of heat depends on an individual’s constitution and environment,” she adds.
Mangoes Myths
Mangoes cause weight gain
Mangoes are well-known for their phytochemicals, which decrease fat cells and obesity-related genes. Mangoes, on the other hand, can make you feel heavy or full due of their high fiber content. It has an excellent nutritional profile and contains only 1% fat.
Mangoes cause acne
Mangoes can not cause acne, but the peel can contain allergenic chemicals. Furthermore, fortified juices have a high glycemic index, which can promote acne breakouts in acne-prone skin.
Mangoes contain a lot of sugar
The response has been mixed. Mangoes can be harmful to those with diabetes if consumed in excess. Despite their health benefits, mangoes are abundant in carbs, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise; however, the fruit’s fiber content can minimize the amount of sugar absorption. Mangoes, according to experts, are worth eating because of their low glycemic index (GI). A GI of 70 or above is regarded high, a GI of 56 to 69 is considered medium, and a GI of 55 or less is considered low. Mangoes have a GI of 51, which is considered low, making them a healthy choice.
Source:FE