{"id":56108,"date":"2025-10-05T09:28:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T09:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/56108\/"},"modified":"2025-10-05T09:28:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T09:28:11","slug":"do-mangoes-have-any-benefits-for-diabetes-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/56108\/","title":{"rendered":"Do mangoes have any benefits for diabetes prevention?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"forShare on Pinterest<\/a>Mango vs granola bar: A new study investigates which sweet snack is linked to lower diabetes risk. Image credit: Jill Chen\/StocksyIn a recent study, mangoes more effectively improved prediabetes risk factors in a new study than low-sugar granola bars.The key to mangoes\u2019 better results likely lies in their being a whole food with natural fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.However, experts agree that the best way to avoid type 2 diabetes is to eat a balanced, healthy diet and be physically active, rather than to depend on a single \u2018superfood\u2019 to prevent the condition.<\/p>\n

A new study suggests that at least one high-sugar tropical fruit, mangoes, may be more likely to help prevent type 2 diabetes than a low-sugar snack.<\/p>\n

The authors of the study, which appears in the journal Foods<\/a>, suggest that the correlation between a preference for mango and a lower risk of diabetes may have to do with mangoes being more than simply a sweet treat, since they are a natural whole food that contains fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.<\/p>\n

Low-sugar snacks designed to be convenient and tasty, however, may not be as nutritionally rich, may contain additives, and may thus be less likely to be healthy.<\/p>\n

For the study, funded by the National Mango Board, two dozen participants age 50 to 70 years in age were divided into two groups. None had received a diabetes diagnosis at baseline. The study was conducted at Florida State University.<\/p>\n

Individuals in one group received a fresh mango each day containing 32 grams (g) of sugar, while members of the other group were instead provided with a calorically similar low-sugar granola bar containing 11 g of sugar.<\/p>\n

Twenty-three participants completed the study. The authors found improved blood glucose control, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and reduced body fat for the 11 members of the mango group.<\/p>\n

As a result, the study reports a reduced risk for developing type 2 diabetes, based primarily on improvements in blood glucose levels.<\/p>\n

Its authors note that this focus is a limitation of the study.<\/p>\n

It is also the case, the authors say, that the limited racial and ethnic diversity of the participant sample may reduce their findings\u2019 generalizability. In addition, dietary adherence throughout the trial was self-reported, which is not always reliable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study is an interesting contrast on [the] potential effects of natural sugars such as found in fruits, versus sugars from granola bars (in this case) that may be an added sugar, versus [sugars] naturally found in the environment,\u201d Jason Ng<\/a>, MD, told Medical News Today.<\/p>\n

Ng teaches endocrinology and metabolism in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, and was not involved in the study.<\/p>\n

While it may seem surprising that a food with as much sugar in it as a mango could still be a healthy choice when one is trying to avoid type 2 diabetes, the idea makes sense to Ng and to \u015eebnem \u00dcnl\u00fci\u015fler<\/a>, MSc, genetic engineer and Chief Longevity Officer at the London Regenerative Institute in the United Kingdom, also not involved in the study.<\/p>\n

Asked if tropical fruits really make sense as a dietary choice in this context, \u00dcnl\u00fci\u015fler replied \u201cbroadly, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhole fruits \u2014 including mango \u2014 are generally safe and often beneficial as part of a balanced diet for diabetes prevention and for many people with type 2 diabetes, with a few important caveats,\u201d she told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key is in moderation,\u201d Ng pointed out. \u201cSome fruits have higher amounts of fiber, which can help reduce sugar absorption, while other fruits have compounds that have anti-oxidant properties that can help maintain metabolism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00dcnl\u00fci\u015fler described whole fruits\u2019 \u201cfiber, phytonutrients and a food matrix that slows carbohydrate absorption, alters gut microbiota and blunts post-prandial glucose excursions compared with equivalent calories from refined foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, in moderation,\u201d said Ng, \u201cthese fruits can have some positive effects for diabetes prevention and people with [type 2 diabetes]. Overconsumption, of course, leads to an influx of sugars overall, which can be unhealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best dietary strategy for avoiding type 2 diabetes \u2014 accompanied by maintaining sufficient physical activity \u2014 is taking a broader view of the foods one eats, according to the experts.<\/p>\n

\u201cSelecting individual foods can be a strategy, but can be difficult to maintain,\u201d pointed out Ng.<\/p>\n

\u201cTargeting a single \u2018magic\u2019 food is rarely the best strategy,\u201d \u00dcnl\u00fci\u015fler agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenetic background, habitual diet, energy balance and overall dietary pattern matter far more than single items. A whole-diet approach \u2014 replace refined snacks with whole fruit, favor whole grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and healthy fats \u2014 is evidence-based.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 \u015eebnem \u00dcnl\u00fci\u015fler, MSc<\/p>\n

\u201cThis diet,\u201d said Ng, \u201ccan be easier to maintain, and ultimately, healthier than focusing on eating specific foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the same time, he suggested, it can be helpful to \u201cavoid specific foods which are known to be high in refined carbs and added sugars, such as soft drinks, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Share on PinterestMango vs granola bar: A new study investigates which sweet snack is linked to lower diabetes…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56109,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[163,85,46,543,10396],"class_list":{"0":"post-56108","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-il","10":"tag-israel","11":"tag-nutrition","12":"tag-type-2-diabetes"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}