Drinking mango juice may be one of the healthiest choices you can make when it comes to a dietary shift, as this drink is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can give you a healthy boost.
What is Mango Juice?
Mango juice is derived from mango fruit, which grows on tropical trees that belong to the Mangifera genus. There are hundreds of different species and cultivars of mangoes that are grown around the world, but the most common varieties are Mangifera indica and Mangifera foetida. Native to the southern Asian region, this exotic fruit has now been domesticated in many other tropical regions and is one of the most sought after fruits on the market.
Mango juice is made by pressing or blending out the juice from the soft, orange pulp of the mango to deliver significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, various carotenoids, and potent organic acids in every glass of juice. Due to the potency and strong flavor of the juice, it is often combined with other juices for an even more powerful fruit juice blend. Mango juice has been a part of the human diet for thousands of years, and with a bit of effort, you can make this potent health juice at home to enjoy all of its benefits. [1]
Serving Size : | |
---|---|
Nutrient | Value |
Water [g] | 86.63 |
Energy | 51 |
Energy [kJ] | 212 |
Protein [g] | 0.11 |
Total lipid (fat) [g] | 0.06 |
Ash [g] | 0.08 |
Carbohydrate, by difference [g] | 13.12 |
Fiber, total dietary [g] | 0.3 |
Sugars, total including NLEA [g] | 12.45 |
Sucrose [g] | 1.02 |
Glucose (dextrose) [g] | 5.31 |
Fructose [g] | 5.56 |
Maltose [g] | 0.56 |
Calcium, Ca [mg] | 17 |
Iron, Fe [mg] | 0.36 |
Magnesium, Mg [mg] | 3 |
Phosphorus, P [mg] | 2 |
Potassium, K [mg] | 24 |
Sodium, Na [mg] | 5 |
Zinc, Zn [mg] | 0.02 |
Copper, Cu [mg] | 0.02 |
Manganese, Mn [mg] | 0.03 |
Selenium, Se [µg] | 0.4 |
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid [mg] | 15.2 |
Thiamin [mg] | 0 |
Riboflavin [mg] | 0 |
Niacin [mg] | 0.08 |
Pantothenic acid [mg] | 0.07 |
Vitamin B-6 [mg] | 0.02 |
Folate, total [µg] | 7 |
Folate, food [µg] | 7 |
Folate, DFE [µg] | 7 |
Choline, total [mg] | 1.5 |
Vitamin A, RAE [µg] | 35 |
Carotene, beta [µg] | 402 |
Cryptoxanthin, beta [µg] | 26 |
Vitamin A, IU [IU] | 692 |
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) [mg] | 0.21 |
Tocopherol, gamma [mg] | 0.02 |
Tocotrienol, alpha [mg] | 0.02 |
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) [µg] | 0.8 |
Fatty acids, total saturated [g] | 0.01 |
14:0 [g] | 0 |
16:0 [g] | 0.01 |
18:0 [g] | 0 |
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated [g] | 0.02 |
16:1 [g] | 0.01 |
18:1 [g] | 0.01 |
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated [g] | 0.01 |
18:2 [g] | 0 |
18:3 [g] | 0.01 |
Sources include : USDA [2] |
Benefits of Mango Juice
The most notable health benefits of mango juice include lowering blood pressure, boosting circulation, improving vision health, supporting the immune system, and chronic disease, increasing skin health, reducing cholesterol levels, maintaining acidity levels, stimulating digestion and managing diabetic symptoms.
Regulates Blood Pressure
There is a notable amount of potassium in mango juice, which means that a glass of this every day can help to lower blood pressure, thanks to its vasodilator properties. This will lower the strain on your cardiovascular system. [3]
Improves Vision
There is a significant amount of carotenoids and vitamin A found in this juice, which can directly impact the strength of your vision. Vitamin A behaves as an antioxidant and eliminates oxidative stress in the retina, reducing the occurrence of macular degeneration and the development of cataracts. [4]
Lowers Cholesterol Levels
High levels of vitamin C do more than boosting the immune system; it can also work to lower low-density lipoprotein levels, which is the “bad” form of cholesterol. This further protects heart health and reduces the amount of plaque deposition in the blood vessels and arteries. [5]
Improves Digestion
For hundreds of years, mango juice has been recommended for stimulating digestion and relieving symptoms of constipation. In large quantities, this juice works as a laxative, but in moderate amounts, it can simply move your stool along and lubricate the digestive tracts, helping to relieve bloating, cramping and stomach upset. [6]
Reduces Acidity
Mango juice is alkaline in nature, meaning that it has a pH that is higher than 7 and can help to balance high acidity levels in the gut. If our stomach becomes too acidic, it can cause acid reflux disease and poor nutrient uptake but mango can help to keep the body’s pH balanced. [7]
Manages Diabetes
In small or moderate quantities, the natural sugars found in mangoes can help to regulate blood sugar, as the sugars take longer to digest by the body, preventing the spikes and drops in glucose that can be so dangerous to diabetic patients. However, if too much mango juice is consumed, your blood sugar levels can still rise too high. [8]
Boosts Immunity
A single serving of mango juice, depending on what type of mango you use, can deliver anywhere from 60-80% of your daily requirement of vitamin C. This represents a huge boost to your immune system, as it can stimulate the production of white blood cells and work together with other antioxidants in this juice to prevent chronic disease. [9]
Improves Circulation
Although the iron content in mango juice isn’t huge, it is enough to give a boost to red blood cell production and prevent the symptoms of anemia, such as muscle weakness, cognitive confusion, stomach issues, and fatigue. [10]
How to Make Mango Juice?
Although mango juice is quite popular and widely available in grocery stores, some people prefer to make their own mango juice at home, which also lets individuals control how much sugar is added to the beverage. If you have a juicer, the process is quite simple, and you can simply add a dash of honey if you want. However, the recipe below is for people who will be using a blender to prepare their juice, which requires a bit more effort.
Delicious Mango Juice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups mango fruit cubed or sliced
- 1 cup water filtered
- 1 tsp honey
- 3-4 ice cubes
Instructions
- Wash the mangoes thoroughly and remove the skin.
- Add the mango, ice, honey, and water to a blender.
- Blend for 2-3 minutes or until the consistency is equal and smooth.
- Strain this mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth into another jar or container.
- Press or squeeze the remaining fibers to extract all the juice. Discard mango pulp and stir the juice. Add more water to dilute the juice further.
- Serve chilled over ice and enjoy!
Nutritional Value of Mango Juice
Mangoes have a unique nutritional profile with a limited nutrient composition. A single serving of mango juice will provide more than 60% of your daily intake of ascorbic acid and over 40% of your vitamin A requirements. This is in addition to significant levels of calcium and iron, potassium, magnesium, various B vitamins, manganese, selenium, and copper. Furthermore, a single serving of mango juice has approximately 130 calories and roughly 31 grams of sugar, which is one of the few negative aspects of this fruit juice. [11]
Side Effects of Mango Juice
Drinking an excessive amount of mango juice can result in negative side effects for some people, such as allergic reactions, stomach upset, and high blood sugar levels. Most of these side effects can be countered by using this juice in moderation or speaking with a doctor before adding this potent juice to your health regimen.
- Diabetes – One of the most dangerous things about drinking too much mango juice is a high level of natural sugar intake that it possesses. While this is better than the sugars that processed food contains, drinking an excessive amount of this juice can alter blood sugar levels and increase the risk of diabetes, in addition to fat deposition and weight gain.
- Stomach Trouble – Indigestion and constipation are two of the common complaints from people who drink too much mango juice. 1-2 glasses per day should be enough to derive the necessary benefits but beyond that, the acids and active ingredients can disagree with the stomach.
- Allergic Reactions – Some people do have mango allergy, while other people have sensitivities that could result in skin irritation, swollen lips, gums, or throat. Much of this is due to sensitivity to the sap of mangoes, which is often caused by contact with the skin of this fruit.