MANGO AND IT'S BENEFITS

As nutritionists people tend to feel that staying healthy comes to us naturally. But sorry to burst your bubble we are human and we also have cravings. As the saying goes that nothing good comes easy, staying healthy is not an easy task I must say. I have had so many occasions where people say they don’t take fruits or they don’t know how to take fruits or they hate the idea of fruits and the funny thing is that I can relate with this because eating fruit is also a struggle for me. Truth is that Staying healthy for me is a struggle because I’m human so I keep the saying of “nothing good comes easy” at the back of my head just to encourage myself to stay healthy. Eating fruits and vegetables is a way of staying healthy so even if eating fruits is a struggle for me, I make conscious effort to embrace them and want to eat them. I will be doing a little series on different fruits and their benefits just to encourage anyone out there who is struggling to take fruits to see reasons why you should take them and today I would be talking on mango.

Mangoes are known to be called “king of fruits” this is because it is cheap and available to people all over the world. Sincerely I do not like mango but since we are in the ship of making conscious effort to stay healthy and plus this is a fruit in season, I make conscious efforts to want to take them and here is why;

• They are packed with so much vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin B6 and a lot more but vitamin A and C are the most prominent one. They are also rich in mineral such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and they contain other nutrients such as protein, fiber and carbohydrate.
• They are rich in several polyphenol antioxidants such as, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, mangiferin, and many others. Antioxidants are highly important in the body as they protect cells in the body that may be damaged due to harmful free radicals
• They help to improve eye health and this due to the presence of vitamin A in mangoes. Deficiency of vitamin A in the body can create vision problems, so the more mangoes you consume, the more vitamin A gets into your system which leads to better eyesight.
• They help improve skin and hair growth. These are for all my naturalistas and skin goals gang. Well you don’t have to be in this gang to want this benefit because this benefit is a must-have. Mango is packed with a lot of vitamin C and A, these vitamins are very essential for healthy hair and skin. Well for me, if this were the only benefit mango had, I am eating it every day LOL!!!
• They help to reduce the risk of Cancer. The need for antioxidant-rich foods in the body cannot be overemphasized. Polyphenol antioxidant in the body have been found to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress which then stops the growth of cancer cells in the body.
• They help prevent constipation in the body. Mango is packed with a lot of fiber and digestive enzymes which help to support digestion and elimination in the body.

On the point that moderation is key to everything, when mangoes are consumed in excess amounts it may cause diarrhea. So in as much as this fruit is packed with so many nutrients and benefits, when not consumed properly, it can be harmful to the body. Aside from that, it’s a great fruit and should be consumed by everyone. If you have issues consuming mango directly, you can spice it up by creating fun ways to take it; either by making it into a smoothie drink, it can be diced and added with other tropical fruit to make a fruit salad or can be juiced to be taken as a fruit juice. So when next you pass by your local store and see this affordable fruit before saying “I hate this fruit” think of the amazing benefits you could get from it and let’s say YES TO STAYING HEALTHY.