If you grew up eating mango or found it later in life, every bite is a treat. Mangoes are rich in nutrients, but a trained dietician warns of potential drawbacks.
Registered dietitian nutritionist Dina R. D'Alessandro, MS, RDN, CDN, lectures at City University of New York's Herbert H. Lehman College.
Start with the fact that mangoes are healthy. When you buy one, D'Alessandro says you're buying a "overall nutrient-dense food" with phytonutrients
Cutting into this tasty stone fruit provides a lot of potassium. D'Alessandro says the mango is a "potassium-rich food" to "help offset high-sodium intake
Not everyone can eat mangoes. A synthetic material sensitivity may also affect mango. D'Alessandro warns latex-allergic people.
She adds, "There's not much fiber to slow digestion once you remove the peel, so be sure to pair up with a more complex food if you've been diagnosed with pre-diabetes
"Excess consumption of mango might cause some GI distress since it's high in fermentable carbohydrates," he adds.
D'Alessandro notes that mango may assist GI issues in some circumstances. "Mango has been shown to reduce diarrhea," D'Alessandro explains.
According to D'Alessandro, mango contains vitamin A for skin and eye health and vitamin C "for cell protection and to help increase iron absorbability
Yes, mangoes are high in sugar, but D'Alessandro thinks they're helpful for weight loss provided you watch your portion size.