Why You Should Eat More Mangoes

A smoothie's best friend is also good for your heart

Eating two cups of mangoes can help relax blood vessels within two hours’ time. (Shutterstock)

Mangoes are more than a delicious fruit you can add to smoothies for a delightful summer treat. Aside from being delicious, mangoes are also really good for your heart.

New research finds eating two cups of mangoes can help relax blood vessels within two hours’ time. Some participants in the study also showed improvements in the production of breath methane, which reveals the possible influence mangoes may have on gut fermentation.

“This is the first study to demonstrate positive vascular effects of mango intake in humans,” said lead researcher Dr. Robert Hackman.

“Our results build on previous animal and cell studies that point to the potential benefits of mangoes to promote health.”

Mangoes contain a mix of polyphenols, which have been studied and shown to have positive effects on health.

The study included 24 post-menopausal women who consumed 330 grams of mangoes for two weeks.

The Ataulfo mango—or honey mango—was used for the study because it has the highest polyphenols.

After two weeks the women stopped their consumption of mangoes for 13 days and resumed their regular diets. Heart rate, blood pressure, blood samples, and breath samples were taken from the women.

Mango consumption was linked with reduced systolic blood pressure two hours after consumption. Systolic blood pressure refers to the pressure which blood exerts against your arteries when the heart beats.

The researchers concluded that mangoes could help support heart health and should be incorporated into a heart-healthy diet.

Emily Lunardo is a reporter for Bel Marra Health, where this article was originally published.