Mango or mengelam is the name of a type of fruit, as is the name of the tree. Mango belongs to the Mangifera clan, which consists of 35-40 members and the Anacardiaceae tribe. The scientific name is Mangifera indica.
The mango tree is a high-level plant whose trunk structure (habitus) belongs to the arboreus group, which is a woody plant that has a trunk height of more than 5 m. Mangoes can reach a height of 10–40 m.
The name of this fruit comes from the Malayalam maanga. Then this word was brought to Europe by the Portuguese and absorbed into manga (Portuguese), mango (English), mangga (Indonesian) and others. The scientific name itself roughly means: “(tree) bearing mango fruit, comes from India”.
Native to around India’s border with Burma, mangoes have spread to Southeast Asia since at least 1500 years ago. This fruit is also known in various regional languages, such as pelem or poh. What are the benefits of consuming mangoes for health? we will review in full below:
- Reduces Diabetes
Mangoes have a low glycemic index (41-60) so consuming them in large quantities will not increase sugar levels. Not only fruit, but mango leaves are healthy too. For people suffering from diabetes, simply boil 5-6 mango leaves soak it all night and drink the boiled water after it is filtered in the morning. This herb will help in regulating insulin levels. - Cancer Prevention
Research has shown the antioxidant compounds in mangoes have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancer. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallic, as well as enzymes in abundance. - Healthy Eyes
Eyes are an important sense for humans. One cup of mango slices supplies 25% of vitamin A, of the required daily intake. This is able to keep various eye diseases such as night blindness, dryness of the eyes and itchy eyes. - Asthma Prevention
Mango fruit can affect the development of a lower risk of asthma. This also occurs in people who consume high amounts of certain nutrients. One of these nutrients is beta carotene, which is found in the benefits of papaya, apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, pumpkin and carrots. - Maintain Cholesterol Levels
Mango fruit has a number of benefits of guava, which contains high levels of vitamin C, pectin and fiber which will help lower cholesterol levels. Fresh mangoes are a rich source of potassium, which is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. - Helps Digestion
Mango has enzymes that help break down the fat and protein content in the food we eat. Then the fiber content in mangoes helps in natural digestion, which facilitates the removal of digestive waste. - Preventing Heart Disease
Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin E, and selenium which help protect against heart disease. Mangoes are also rich in vitamin B6 which plays a role in preventing heart disease by lowering levels of homocysteine (Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that damages the lining of blood vessels). - Lowers LDL Cholesterol
The high levels of pectin and Vitamin C in mangoes have been shown to lower cholesterol levels, especially LDL (bad) cholesterol. - Lowers Blood Pressure
Since mangoes are high in potassium, it may help in regulating blood pressure levels. Hence, eating mangoes regularly can help lower blood pressure. - Increase Memory
Mango contains Glutamine acid which is known to improve memory and keep brain cells active.
Although consuming fruits is a good thing, adjusting a diet that is recommended for overall health is the most important thing in preventing disease and achieving good health. It is better to consume a variety of foods than to concentrate on certain foods, as the key to maintaining good body health.
