Eating Mangoes May Help Improve Insulin Sensitivity
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Introduction
Mangoes are not just delicious—they might also be good for your health. A new study from the Illinois Institute of Technology has found that eating mangoes regularly can improve insulin sensitivity in people who are overweight or obese and have chronic low-grade inflammation. This is an exciting discovery, especially for people at risk for type 2 diabetes.
What Is Insulin Sensitivity?
Insulin is a hormone that helps control your blood sugar levels. When your body responds well to insulin, it is called “insulin sensitivity.” But when it doesn’t respond well, you become “insulin resistant,” which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Improving insulin sensitivity helps the body manage blood sugar more effectively and reduces diabetes risk.
The Study Setup
Researchers enrolled 48 adults who were overweight and had signs of chronic low-grade inflammation—a common condition in obesity that can contribute to insulin resistance. For four weeks, half of the participants ate two cups of mango a day, while the other half consumed a control food with similar calories but no mango.
The study measured blood sugar and insulin levels before and after a sugar drink test (called OGTT), both at the start and end of the four weeks. Researchers also checked for signs of inflammation and changes in body weight.
What Did the Study Find?
The group that ate mangoes didn’t see much change in their body weight, but their insulin levels improved. Here’s what stood out:
- Lower Fasting Insulin: After four weeks, people who ate mangoes had significantly lower fasting insulin levels than the control group.
- Better Insulin Sensitivity: Measures like HOMA-IR and the Disposition Index, which indicate how well the body uses insulin, were significantly better in the mango group.
- No Change in Inflammation: Even though mango has anti-inflammatory compounds, the study didn’t find a significant drop in inflammation markers like IL-6 and CRP.
- Gene Expression Hint: There was a slight increase in a gene (Nrf2) that supports antioxidant activity, which may play a role in improving insulin sensitivity.
Why Mango Might Help
Mangoes are rich in fiber, vitamins A and C, and bioactive compounds like mangiferin, which have been shown in past studies to support blood sugar control and reduce oxidative stress. This combination may help the body use insulin more effectively, even if inflammation doesn’t change much.
Takeaway Message
While mangoes didn’t reduce inflammation in this short study, they did improve how the body handles insulin, which is good news for anyone concerned about blood sugar or diabetes. Including mango as part of a balanced diet could be a natural way to support better health.
Conclusion
This study adds to growing evidence that whole fruits like mango can be part of a healthy lifestyle, especially for people managing weight and blood sugar. More research is needed, but if you enjoy mangoes, this is another reason to keep them on your plate.