Early results show mango consumption may improve intestinal health in humans, while animal tests have demonstrated further potential benefits. 

The U.S.-based National Mango Board (NMB) has highlighted four recent studies that show promise for the tropical fruit's health credentials, but work has not yet reached the stage where the group can use results in its consumer marketing efforts.

Preliminary results from the studies - into constipation in humans, breast cancer in animals and obesity in animals - were presented at the Experimental Biology Conference in San Diego as a guide for the NMB on where it should concentrate and further its nutrition research.

"Mangoes are a superfruit - rich with antioxidants and more than 20 different vitamins and minerals," says NMB director of marketing Rachel Muñoz.

"There is a growing body of research that these antioxidants, such as vitamin C and beta carotene, as well as several polyphenolic compounds including gallic acid and their larger polymers gallotannins, have been linked to anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities in previous in vitro and in vivo studies.

"Further research, especially in humans, is needed, and the studies done to date provide important insights that will drive future research."

One animal study from Oklahoma State University suggests mangoes have the potential to help combat adverse effects associated with high fat diets and obesity, while another from Texas A&M University shows consumption of the fruit may inhibit the growth of fat cells.

A different Texas A&M study looked into the development of breast cancer tumors in animals and found mango consumption could potentially slow their advancement.

But as is often the case in the world of health pronouncements, it is the human studies that carry the most weight while animal studies only show potential for what might be possible in a human trial. Another Texas A&M study looked into chronic constipation, a common condition associated with intestinal inflammation which impairs the quality of life for around 10-20% of the U.S. population.

The study, authored by Susanne Mertens-Talcott, Hyemee Kim, Stephen Talcott and Vinicius Paula Venancio, gave 300g of mangoes to a group of healthy people each day for four weeks, while a control group was given an equivalent amount of fiber.

"Questionnaires regarding intestinal evacuation and digestive wellness were collected weekly, and blood and stool samples were collected at the beginning of the study and after four weeks," the authors said in an extract.

"The results show that the mango group had better improvement of constipation status as compared to the fiber group, based on evacuation categorization.

"Compared to the consumption of fiber, the consumption of mango in the treatment of chronic constipation had higher subject adherence, improved parameters of intestinal evacuation, reduced the production of endotoxins, reduced inflammation, and increased the concentration of short chain fatty acids, all of which have been established to contribute to intestinal health and wellness."

The team at the NMB are eager see what the effects of breakthrough findings, once results are concrete, will have on the mango category.

"While more research is needed, especially in humans, there is a growing body of studies that suggest mango consumption may contribute to some protective effects in relation to obesity, certain cancers, gut health, and inflammation," said NMB director of research Leonardo Ortega.

Photo: NMB

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