Mangoes help to prevent obesity and diabetes: Study
Mangoes may help to stop obesity and type 2
diabetes, new study claims.
Mangoes are found to be rich in fibre, vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants, along with fat-busting plant chemicals.
The mangoes were found to boost gut bacteria
which can ward off the conditions.
The study found eating the mango can prevent
the loss of beneficial gut bacteria which can be caused by a high-fat diet.
The study said the specific bacteria in the
intestinal tract may play a role in obesity and obesity-related complications,
such as type 2 diabetes.
In this study by at Oklahoma State University, 60 mice
were put in one of four dietary treatment groups for 12 weeks.
This included a control group where 10 per
cent of calories consumed were from fat, a high fat group where 60 per cent of
calories were from fat, or a high fat diet where one or 10 per cent of it was
mango.
All high-fat diets had similar macronutrient,
calcium, phosphorus, and fibre content. When samples were compared from the
beginning to the end of the study period, those which were supplemented with
mango lost the least beneficial gut bacteria often induced by a high-fat diet.
‘Mango
is a good source of fibre and has been reported in previous studies to have
anti-obesogenic, hypoglycemic and immunomodulatory properties,’ said
Nutritionist Professor Edralin Lucas, of Oklahoma State University.
‘The
results of this animal study showed that adding mango to the diet may help
maintain and regulate gut health and levels of beneficial bacteria levels.’
The research, published in the Journal of
Nutrition, was commissioned by the National Mango Board which
promotes consumption of the fruit in the US.
It adds to a growing body of evidence the
tropical fruit, which is native to southern Asia, has various health-boosting
properties.
Previous studies have found compounds in
mango exhibit anti-inflammatory activities with its high fibre-content aiding
digestion.
One cup of mango is bursting with
antioxidants and over 20 different vitamins and minerals and provides a good
source of fibre.
But the effects of mango on the gut
microbiota have not previously been investigated.
Further research is necessary to see if these
study results can be replicated in humans, researchers said.
The study was partly supported by the US
National Mango Board.
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