The Food Value of Mangoes

Mangoes are a sweet tropical fruit that was once native to Southeast Asia but today can be found growing in most warm climates throughout the world, including Florida and California in the U.S. There are several varieties of mangoes, but all deliver important vitamins, nutrients and health-protective benefits.

Viamin C

Mangoes are loaded with several important vitamins, but vitamin C outshines them all as far as content is concerned. Needed for a healthy immune system and bone, teeth and skin health, vitamin C plays a major role in your overall health. It is also an antioxidant vitamin, which means it protects cells from damage that may alter DNA and lead to diseases such as cancer and heart disease. As a water-soluble vitamin, vitamin C is not stored and needs to be taken into the body daily. Eating 1 cup of sliced mango gives you 4.7 mg of vitamin C, or 76 percent of the recommended daily intake, RDI, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Eating a mango will put you well on your way to getting 100 percent of your recommended vitamin C intake.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is actually a group of compounds that are converted to vitamin A in the body. The vitamin A in mangoes is from the carotenoids alpha carotene, beta carotene and beta cryptoxanthin; and a 1-cup serving of mango slices delivers 1,262 IU, or 25 percent of the RDI. The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements reports that vitamin A, like C, works to maintain a healthy immune system; helps protect the linings of the eyes and intestinal and respiratory tracts; and may help prevent cancer and osteoporosis. A fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin A is stored in the body, and too much may lead to side effects such as nausea, blurred vision and dizziness. Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, including mangoes, will help you reach your recommended intake of vitamin A without overdoing it.

Fiber

Fiber does not have to come in a bland form that tastes more like cardboard than a treat. A 1-cup serving of sliced mango contains 3.0 g of fiber, or 12 percent of the RDI. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that the RDI for fiber is between 20 and 35 g per day, but most Americans take in approximately 15 g per day. What's the big deal about fiber? It can help prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes and constipation. Adding a mango to your dietary routine will put you well on your way to adequate fiber intake.

Anticancer Properties

Vitamins C, A and fiber all help prevent cancer, but mangoes contain other polyphenols that also have an anticancer effect. Researchers at Texas A&M University tested the effects of several varieties of mangoes against leukemia, lung, breast, colon and prostate cancer cells. The results of their study, published in the April 2010 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," show that mangoes have an anticancer effect, with the Haden and Ataulfo varieties providing the greatest anticancer action.

Other Vitamins and Minerals

Mangoes offer other vitamins and minerals that are necessary for good health. The USDA reports that along with A and C, you will find vitamins K, E and the B family in mangoes. Minerals in mangoes include copper, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, iron and selenium.