In a potential shift in conventional dietary advice for diabetics, two newly published clinical studies by Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences and the National Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC) have found that controlled consumption of Indian mangoes can offer measurable metabolic benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Traditionally avoided due to their sugar content, mangoes may now be considered safe — and even beneficial — if consumed under medical supervision.
Published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (accepted) and the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders (online on August 6), the studies show that mangoes may lead to improved glycemic control, reduced insulin resistance, and lower harmful fat accumulation when used as a substitute for refined carbohydrates like white bread.
Glycemic Variability Reduced with Mango Consumption
In the first study, researchers assessed 95 participants (45 with type 2 diabetes and 50 without) using Oral Tolerance Tests (OTT) and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) over three days. Participants consumed either 250 grams of mango (Safeda, Dasheri, or Langra varieties) or an equivalent-calorie portion of white bread.
The findings revealed that mangoes produced a similar or lower glycemic response than bread. More notably, the CGM results showed a significant reduction in Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursion (MAGE) — a key marker of glucose variability — after mango consumption among diabetic participants.
Eight-Week Trial Links Mango Intake to Improved Metabolic Health
In the second study, a randomized controlled trial among 35 diabetic adults over eight weeks, participants who consumed mangoes experienced improvements in multiple metabolic markers. These included reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin resistance, body weight, waist circumference, and subcutaneous fat. HDL or “good” cholesterol levels also improved significantly.
Dr. Anoop Misra said: “We showed the benefits of small doses of mangoes in place of carbohydrates (bread) in breakfast in two detailed studies for the first time, laying to rest all speculations regarding adverse metabolic effects of its consumption. However, these must be incorporated into diets under strict supervision of nutritionists—within prescribed limits and not in excess—and aligned to the individual’s clinical profile, as judged by physicians.”
Dr. Sugandha Kehar added: “Mangoes are a much-loved fruit and maligned for their possible glucose and weight-elevating effects. These studies, painstakingly done by us, show that within prescribed diets, consumption of mangoes is not detrimental to blood glucose and may even be beneficial.”
The studies were conducted at Fortis C-DOC and N-DOC in New Delhi, received ethics approvals, and were registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Funding was provided by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
