I am sure my love affair with mangos began at birth. I am convinced that my mom alternated between mangos and breastmilk LOL. That is the only explanation for my obsessive addiction to this delicious fruit. Growing up in Honduras, I was blessed to have a backyard full of fresh fruit and vegetables.
I remember that we had over four different types of mango trees all different tastes and sizes. You can only imagine my disappointment when I moved to the United States, and I didn’t have that luxury.
I can’t quite point out when I started adding mangos to my food. I think I might have tried a mango salsa and thought, “why haven’t I made this before?” So I did, and I never looked back.
Since I have a not-so-secret addiction to sugar, I look to fruits to meet my needs instead of processed sweets. Fruits are my fav, I get to meet my sugar high, and provide nutrients to my body. It is very hard to avoid sugar in fruits and vegetables because a lot of them have sugar.
Mangos are perfect because they add the perfect level of sweetness to my salads, my brown rice, my vegetable or whatever my sweet heart desires. So today I am publicly professing my love to mangos and sharing five reasons why you should join the love affair.
Boosts Immune System
The generous amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A in mangos, plus 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy and vigorous. As someone with a relatively weak immune system, I rely heavily on fruits and vegetables that boost my immune system and help me stay healthy! Mango 1 – Weak Immune System 0
Improves Digestion
There are several fruits, including mangoes, which contain enzymes for breaking down protein. The fiber in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.
I know digestion is not a sexy topic, but it is crucial that you have a healthy digestive system. Poor digestion can lead to many serious health issues because digestion is the mechanism that makes your body work. Learn more here.
Eye Care
One cup of sliced mango offers 25 percent of the daily value for vitamin A to help promote good eyesight, prevent night blindness and dry eye. As someone that wears glasses, you can imagine how excited I was to learn that eye care is a benefit of eating mangos.
Fights Cancer
Antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methyl gallate present in mango protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. Learn more here.
Skin Cleanser
Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the face. Mangoes are applicable to any skin type. While I have not tried putting mangos directly on my skin (I am too busy eating them), I think this is awesome. I will give it a try and let you know my findings!
Weight-Loss
Mangos have a lot of vitamins and nutrients that help the body feel fuller when hungry. Also, the fibrous fruit boosts the digestive function of the body by burning additional calories, helping in weight loss. I can attest to feeling full after eating mangos. In the past, I’ve paired them with avocados and broccoli for dinner. Yummy!
Let’s keep the conversation going! What are your thoughts on mangos? How do you like to eat them/prepare them? Leave a comment below!
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