Mangoes are delicious, and that’s a very good reason to eat them. However, that’s not it, like papaya, they contain certain enzymes that can be beneficial to one’s overall health. They are rich in fibre, and so nutritionists say they can help alleviate constipation and piles, as well as irritable bowel syndrome. Leah Mfiteyesu, a dietician at Nutri-Sante, Kigali, says when it comes to nutritional benefits; mango is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. She says it is an excellent source of dietary fibre and vitamin B6, as well as a good source of vitamins A and C. “Mango is low in calories yet high in nutrients, particularly vitamin which aids immunity, iron absorption, growth and repair,” she says. Vitamin C, she explains, is an important nutrient because it helps prevent and treat scurvy, and gives relief for asthma and the common cold. The nutritionist adds that mango has an impressive vitamin content that contributes to the overall health of a person. She says mango is rich in potassium and magnesium, B-vitamins, vitamin E, and vitamin K. “These components help keep different types of diseases at bay,” she says. Rene Tabaro, a nutritionist at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali, notes that mango has high amounts of pectin which is a soluble dietary fibre that helps to lower cholesterol. In addition to this, he says, pectin can help prevent the development of prostate cancer. He says that studies at The Institute for Food Research have discovered that a compound within pectin combines with galectin 3 — a protein playing a significant role in all the stages of cancer. There is also a strong association between mango and lowering the risk of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. Venuste Muhamyankaka, Executive Director of Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) Alliance – an umbrella of civil society organisations in Rwanda aimed at promoting sensitive and specific nutrition actions, says eating and adding mango in other dishes is one of the easiest ways to promote healthy weight gain, especially for those with that desire to do so. He says that as much as there are many people struggling to shed off some extra weight, there are those with nutritional problems as well. And that normally, they are advised by nutritionists to put on some weight for their own wellbeing. He says less than one cup of mango has around 86 calories, which can be absorbed easily by the body. “Mangos contain starch, which transforms into sugar and aids in gaining weight. Mango milkshake will accelerate the process of gaining weight since it contains sugar, as well as fat and protein from milk,” Muhamyankaka says. Aside from that, he says mangos also play a prominent role in eliminating problems such as indigestion and excess acidity. He explains that the digestive enzymes in mangos (such as amylase enzyme mangiferin) work to promote natural, efficient digestion. Keeping disease at bay Mangos are rich in iron, which makes them beneficial to people suffering from anaemia. A regular, moderated intake can help reduce the possibility of developing anaemia by increasing the red blood cell count in the body,” says Tabaro. For pregnant women, he says mangos are beneficial because of their iron content. “Mangos may help one supplement a healthy diet. Some women become uninterested in food during their pregnancy. The delicious mango can help not only improve their appetite, but also provide the required iron,” Tabaro says. Because of high amounts of vitamin A and C found in mangos, Tabaro says the fruit helps produce collagen proteins inside the body. According to him, collagen helps protect blood vessels and the body’s connective tissues, thereby slowing down the natural ageing process. Therefore, he says mangos act as an anti-ageing food.
