What are the Disadvantages of Eating Raw Mango in Diabetes?

Last Updated on July 24, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Raw mangoes comes in the moderate glycemic index category, and so diabetic patients can take them only in moderate amounts. They are safe for diabetic patients if the blood sugar levels are under control. Thus, raw mangoes must be consumed with care and prior knowledge about their potential effects on the diabetic body.

Raw mangoes are better for the body and hardly have any disadvantages when taken in the right and safe amounts. Moreover, they are nutritious and not as sweet as the ripe versions and thus, do not harm the blood sugar levels.

Moreover, unripe mangoes are a great source to gain fiber. Fiber is an important nutrient for the body as it helps to carry out proper digestion. It slows down digestion, allowing food to get digested and absorbed properly for the next step.

Due to this efficient metabolic functioning, fiber also helps control the body’s blood sugar levels. It assists in the total absorption and breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars and for further transformation into energy. This resists sugars from being directly released into the blood flow and avoids high blood glucose levels.

Mangoes have many nutritional benefits that can improve health and offer better overall protection to health. In addition, it has many plant compounds that enhance the body’s functioning and protect against several diseases.

Instead of this recommended safe fruit, it is essential to stick to low amounts of it. This is best to ensure that your body does not suffer from any excess levels of sugar. You can talk to your doctors about recommending raw mangoes according to your health conditions.

If not taken in properly controlled measures, you can face certain difficulties. We will have a look at the side effects as we move ahead.

What happens when you eat raw mango in Diabetes?

Talking about what happens to the sugar levels when you eat raw mangoes depends on your health conditions. Raw mangoes are lower in sugar as compared to ripe fruit, but they do contain some amount of carbohydrates.

These carbohydrates are a mix of sugars as well as dietary fiber found in this fruit. Therefore, it does not affect blood glucose levels directly. However, if your diabetes is out of control and levels to fluctuate, you may experience some difficulties.

Hence, it varies based on your health conditions.

Anyhow, raw mangoes are said to be low in sugar and have a safe glycemic index. Wondering what glycemic index is?

It is a measure used to determine the safety of foods for diabetic patients depending on the carbohydrate content and its influences on the body. Foods are ranked into three categories: safe, moderately safe, and unsafe based on their readings from 0 to 100 on the glycemic index scale.

Let us have a look at the glycemic index categories:

Sl. No. Glycemic Index categoriesGlycemic Index ranges
1.Low Glycemic Index (safe for diabetics) 0 to 55
2.Medium Glycemic Index (safe if taken in controlled quantities)55  to 69
3.High Glycemic Index (unsafe for diabetics)From 70 and above

The Glycemic Index of raw mangoes falls in the safe category with a value between 50 -55. This is number also depends on the ripeness of the mango and is variable.

However, a low score on the glycemic index table determines that mangoes are safe to be eaten by diabetics and do not lead to any harmful spikes on the healthy body.

Is eating raw mango bad for you, if you have Diabetes?

As for a diabetic patient, we already cleared that raw mangoes will not have any serious bad effects on the body if it’s healthy and within the right sugar levels.

It all depends on how well you take care of your health. The better the measures, the more you can have without any worries.

Mangoes are relishing fruits loved by almost everyone. It is hence easy to over-eat this sweet juicy fruit. But as diabetic individuals, primary changes must be around diet and food portions.

Thus, it is all upon how you manage your diet and diabetes. Even if your blood sugar levels are low and within safe margins, you still need to consider your portion sizes. They are crucial to determining for keeping the diabetic levels safe and unhampered.

But what are these safe levels? Let us find out.

As a diabetic individual, you must restrict yourself to having only one or two raw mango slices per day. Raw mangoes are anyway too sour to be had in excess amounts.

Following this daily limit ensure that they do not cause any risks. On the other hand, raw mangoes can be bad for the health in some cases, such as –

  • Raw mangoes can increase your sodium levels too much when had in pickles. Therefore, they must be limited to very low quantities.
  • They are harmful if had as in sweet jams or jellies or packed versions. This is so as packaged products tend to have added preservatives that can harm diabetic health.
  • Raw mango juices are surely a delicious treat but contain lots of added sugar that can raise your blood sugar levels.

Therefore, you must be aware of what form of raw mangoes you choose to eat and how much.

Try to abide by the restricted amounts and control your overall diet to avoid any vulnerability to your health.

Moreover, invest in checking your blood sugar levels to monitor any harm. Finally, if any complications occur, make sure to consult doctors immediately.

Does raw mango reduce weight?

Does raw mango reduce weight

Keeping the body weight normal and steady is a concern for everyone, especially diabetic patients. But does eating raw mango help with this?

Well, fortunately, yes! Raw mangoes are low in sugars and also have lower calories. In addition to this, the fiber in mangoes also enhances its potential to control and lower weight.

The fiber in the body encourages good metabolic functioning, which promotes better digestion and balances the body weight.

Keeping the weight under safe margins is necessary for diabetics as higher weight is a sign of improper diabetic management. Raw ones are better due to lower numbers of sugar and calories.

Thus, eating raw mangoes can help with lowering weight among diabetes.

What is the side effects of eating raw mango?

We mentioned earlier that eating uncontrolled amounts of raw mango can take a toll on your health. On top of that, there are some more conditions to it. So let us have a look at some of the disadvantages of eating mangoes:

  • The sourness in the raw mangoes can trigger throat irritation in some. It is prone to be experienced when you eat too many raw mangoes.
  • Excess quantities of this raw fruit can cause some abdominal complications as well. Some of the common discomfort conditions include dysentery, diarrhea, stomach cramps, indigestion, acidity, etc.

Now you know why having more than the limited amounts can also disturb the blood sugar levels and contribute to other health issues. Hence, it is clear that too much of anything can strip it of its good qualities.

But what are these good qualities? Let us find out the good effects it can have on the body.

What are the health benefits of eating raw mangoes?

Raw mangoes have the potential to improve health and add goodness. It is filled with many nutrients that have the several following health benefits:

  1. Eating raw mangoes boost your energy. It prevents a tired and weary feeling and is a source of immediate energy.
  1. Eating raw mangoes directly can improve your immunity. It has a lot of vitamin A and C that enhance the immunity of the body and offer protection from many health ailments. It also contains phytonutrients and antioxidants that protect the body from internal free radicals and prevent any damage.
  1. Raw mangoes also promote better liver functioning. In addition, it assists in the better production of bile and helps to clear fats and toxins.
  1. It is also great for dealing with blood disorders such as clots, anemia, hemophilia, etc. It also makes blood vessels healthy and more elastic.
  1. Raw mangoes also help with keeping gastric sickness away. In addition, the fiber helps to avoid constipation, indigestion, etc.
  1. Levels of vitamin B3 in raw mangoes help to boost heart health. It improves cholesterol levels as well.
  1. Raw mangoes are great in the summer due to their potential to keep the body hydrated, energetic, and full of nourishment.

To gain these numerous benefits, mangoes must be had in moderation. Therefore, it is important to keep your levels of consumption in check. In addition, make sure that you keep measuring your blood sugar levels from time to time.

Food portions apply to a diabetic as well as non-diabetic patients. It all comes down to keeping your diets properly planned to reduce any risks.

References

  1. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/6/12/5955
  2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13197-015-1963-4
  3. https://www.fitneass.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Study-Mango-Leaves-in-Treating-Type-2-Diabetes.pdf
  4. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jsfa.6778
  5. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Antonio-Soares-25/publication/303875667_Postharvest_physiology_and_technology_for_fresh_guavas/links/5759c15208aed884620b2856/Postharvest-physiology-and-technology-for-fresh-guavas.pdf#page=71
  6. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/370074/diab_gdm_colour.pdf
  7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889157598908067
  8. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119534167.ch6
  9. https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2016/vol4issue4/PartA/4-3-28-237.pdf
  10. http://www.mango.org/Mangos/media/Media/Documents/Research%20And%20Resources/Research/Industry/Nutrition/NHANES_Final_Report_Eng.pdf

 

Dr Sharon Baisil MD

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