Juicing is an excellent way to help the body absorb the maximum nutritional content of a mango. The pureed fiber makes for easier digestion of the concentrated enzymes and water-soluble vitamins to take advantage of the antioxidant properties in the mango. Benefits to health, from mango juice, include reducing the risk of various diseases and cancer.
Nutritional Benefits
Compared with other fruits, mangoes are among the leading source of many vitamins and minerals. Rich in carotene, the juice from one mango supplies more than the daily requirement of vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for the healthy metabolism of skin, eyes and teeth. Mango juice provides a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C. In addition, it contains B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B2, with 125 per 250g; only passion fruit contains more. Mangoes are rich in iron, important for the prevention of anemia. High potassium and magnesium content may help to relieve muscle cramps, stress and heart problems. In addition, mangoes provide health benefits from their calcium, phosphorus, folate and vitamins E and K.
Benefit of Phenolic Compounds
Several studies have demonstrated the importance of mangoes in your diet to help fight cancer. Researchers at the University of Florida, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, tested the water-soluble portion of mango puree and found that it contains phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant activity. Percival, of University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, said, "We think mangoes have some unique antioxidants as well as quantities of antioxidants that might not be found in other fruits and vegetables."
According to the Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, "Many of the pharmacological properties attributed to mango might be due to the presence of phenolic acids in fairly significant amounts."
Lupeol in Mangoes
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in U.S. A substance, called lupeol, present in mangoes and other fruits, has shown to combating testosterone-induced changes. A study published in "Nutrition and Cancer," by the Industrial Toxicology Research Center , India, demonstrated the effectiveness of lupeol in mango pulp in arresting prostate cancer cell growth.
Pancreatic cancer is a particularly aggressive form of cancer, not easily detectable, with a low survival rate. Because treatment does not respond well to surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, lupeol in mangoes is an important discovery as a potential agent against pancreatic cancer. Yogeshwar Shukla, of Indian Toxicology Research Center, said, "Researches carried out in USA report that lupeol inhibits pancreatic cancer and regulated a number of processes involved in cancer development."
Effect Against Gallbladder Cancer
Although rare, cancer of the gallbladder is usually fatal. To determine the effect of certain foods on the gallbladder, a case-control study, involving 64 newly diagnosed cases of gallbladder cancer, was carried out by the Department of Surgical Oncology, Regional Cancer Center, India. The study cited mango, in particular, as one of the foods that had a significant protective effect against gallbladder carcinogenesis and reduction of gallbladder cancer.
References
- Disabled World: Benefit of Mango for Health: The Average Content of One Mango
- University of Florida News: UF Researchers Say Munch More Mangoes To Fight Cancer
- Informa World: Nutrition and Cancer, 1532-7914, Volume 60, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 120: Induction of Apoptosis by Lupeol and Mango Extract in Mouse Prostate and LNCaP Cells
- The Times of India: A Mango a Day Can Keep Cancer Away
- PubMed.gov: Diet and Gallbladder Cancer: a Case-Control Study: Eur J Cancer Prev. 2002 Aug;11(4):365-8.
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