Two of the most serious health conditions facing Americans today-obesity and cancer-are the subject of new mango nutrition research presented this week at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) in Boston.

This preliminary research identifies important findings that merit further investigation to determine whether mangos can potentially have a positive effect on blood sugar in obese individuals and help to limit inflammation.

A study led by Edralin Lucas, Ph.D., associate professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University, examined the effects of daily mango consumption on clinical parameters and body composition in obese subjects (body mass index, BMI = 30kg/m2).

Twenty adults (11 males and 9 females) participated in the study, which included daily dietary supplementation with 10 grams of freeze dried mango (equivalent to approximately 100 grams of fresh mango, according to Dr. Lucas) for 12 weeks.

Blood sugar levels at the conclusion of the study were significantly lower than the baseline in both male and female subjects. There were no significant changes in body composition for either gender, and BMI increased significantly in female subjects but not male subjects compared to baseline.

These findings are the result of a single study and more research is needed on the effects of mango consumption on human health.

"The results of this study support what we learned in our recent animal model , , which found that mango improved blood glucose in mice fed a high fat diet," said Dr. Lucas.

"Although the mechanism by which mango exerts its effects warrants further investigation, we do know that mangos contain a complex mixture of polyphenolic compounds. Research has shown that several other plants and their polyphenolic compounds, such as isoflavone from soy , epigallocatechin gallate from green tea , and proanthocyanidin from grape seed , have a positive effect on adipose tissue."

Exploring anti-inflammatory properties of mango polyphenols
Research led by Susanne Mertens-Talcott, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Director for Research, Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation of Texas A and M University, examined the effects of polyphenols found in fresh mangos on cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells.

This study suggests that mango polyphenols may limit inflammatory response in both cancerous and non-cancerous breast cells. Because this was an in vitro study, more research is needed to determine whether mango polyphenols can have the same effect in humans.

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Lucas A, Li W, Peterson SK, Brown A, Kuvibidila S, Perkins-Veazie P, Clarke SI, Smith BJ. Mango modulates body fat and plasma glucose and lipids in mice fed a high-fat diet. Brit J Nutr 2011; 106: 1495-1505.

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