Can Diabetes Patients Eat Mango?

InfoHealthyLife.Com - It is common knowledge that mangoes have a delicious and refreshing taste while having high nutritional content. It's just that, the sweet taste of the mango makes many diabetics worry about taking it. Actually, can mangoes be for diabetes?

Reporting from NDTV Food, the book Healing Foods published by DK Publishing says mango has an enzyme that can make digestion work more effectively. In fact, consuming it regularly can reduce the risk of getting colon cancer and heart disease.

Benefits of Mango for Diabetes

A study conducted by the Federation of American Societies for Expereimental Biology resulted in the fact that the routine benefits of consuming mangoes every day include:

1. Reducing blood sugar levels

Can control and reduce blood sugar levels even though there is a natural fruit content in this fruit. So, mangoes for diabetes are safe for consumption.

2. Reducing insulin resistance

Another study conducted by experts from Oklahoma University even mentions that regular consumption of mangoes can reduce insulin resistance and increase glucose tolerance in diabetics.

3. Substitute carbohydrates

The American Diabetes Association even includes mangoes in the list of fruits that can be consumed by diabetics. Mangoes are considered to be a substitute for carbohydrates or dairy products in their daily diet.

However, Lokendra Tomar nutrition expert from the Weight Loss Clinic, New Delhi, India, actually suggested the opposite. According to Tomar, mangoes for diabetes should be avoided because these fruits are rich in carbohydrates and sugar. If they eat mango, inevitably consumption of carbohydrates such as flour or rice should be avoided so that they do not consume carbohydrates and sugar excessively.

Other nutrition experts, Dr. Anju Sood, advises diabetics to consult their doctor first if they want to eat mango because if it turns out the blood sugar levels are very high, it is feared that consumption of this fruit can trigger complications or other health effects.

Mango and Prediabetes

Diabetes is a major health problem, throughout the world. A prediabetes sufferer has high blood sugar levels, but is not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. People with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

A study from 2015 investigated the effect of mangoes on blood sugar in people with prediabetes. Respondents who consumed 10 grams of frozen or dried mango every day for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in blood glucose and increased insulin levels. While those who do not eat mangoes do not experience this change. So, it can be concluded that the mangoes for diebetes are quite effective.

Glycemic Index

One popular tool used to manage diets for diabetics is the glycemic index (GI). This measures how fast certain foods cause your blood sugar to rise, comparing it to the effects of pure glucose. Foods with low amounts or low GIs have a smaller impact on blood sugar than foods with high amounts.

Mango fruit has a low GI, as much as 51, far below comparable tropical fruits such as pineapple or papaya. In other words, a good portion of mango - about a quarter of the fruit - about 1/2 cup of diced mango and mango for diabetes will only have a minimal impact on your blood sugar.

Carbohydrate Counting

The American Diabetes Association recognizes counting GI values ​​in general foods, but recommends focusing on total carbohydrate intake, rather than being obsessed with GI amounts. With this standard, mangoes are still a good choice. A total of 1/2 cup of mango contains 12 grams of carbohydrates, less than 27 grams which you will find in medium bananas or a cup of red or green wine.

Nutrition in Mango

Keeping your blood sugar levels under control is important, but it's not the only measure of food. Maintaining a healthy diet also means paying attention to how much nutrition in food, relative to the calories it provides - "nutrient density" - as well as other factors such as its fiber content.

Mango for diabetes is very good if it is considered to be consumed with sufficient portions. Mango contains high levels of vitamin C and A, contains soluble fiber which is also contained in nuts and oatmeal, and has a little potassium. The 2015 USDA Nutrition Guidelines call for a diet with a variety of nutrient-dense foods in a reasonable portion, and adding a quarter of mango is very suitable for that suggestion.

Adding Mangoes to Your Diet

Mangoes can not be directly eaten, aka a little inconvenient, you have to peel the skin first and separate it from the seeds, so you may be tempted to enjoy mango in dry form or juice. The processed fruit is still healthy, but contains more sugar, so it's not good as an option.

How to enjoy fresh mango, you must know the simplest way to cut it. Instead of peeling it and then trying to slice the fruit which is sometimes slippery when peeled, this is how:

•     Cut on both sides of the mango that has not been peeled.
•     Use the tip of the knife to slice the fruit into cubes that are still sticking to the mango skin
•     Turn the skin inward until the mango flesh slices stand out.
•     The dice pieces that are still on the skin are ready to eat.

Consuming Mangoes with Medium Portions

Some diabetics think that they should stop eating fruit because they contain high sugar levels. However, eating moderate or moderate amounts of mango for diabetes can be beneficial, especially because the mango contains important nutrients, including fiber and various vitamins and minerals. In moderate amounts, mango can be a healthy addition to a varied diet.

Mangoes score 51–56 on the glycemic index (GI), similar to orange juice. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) considers this a low or moderate score.

ADA suggests the following ways to eat mangoes:

• Eating fresh, frozen or canned fruit without added sugar.
• One serving of fruit should contain around 15 grams of carbohydrates. Two thirds of a cup of mango contains around this amount.
• Remember that fresh fruit may be more satisfying than dried fruit, because the portion size for dried fruit is much smaller.

The American Late Allergy Association notes that anyone who has a latex allergy must be careful, because there is a small chance that mango can trigger a cross reaction.