The Orlando, Fla.-based National Mango Board introduced its Cinco de Mango campaign in late March, “a popular time for mangoes,” says Lavanya Setia, marketing director, and has posted results of some recent board-sponsored research on its website, mango.org/research.
For retailers, the Cinco de Mango campaign means special bins and other point-of-sale materials, Setia says. For consumers, the board is focusing on recipes.
Early this year, the board posted results of a number of studies, including a look at the impact of mangoes on prediabetic adults and overweight adults.
A randomized controlled study from Florida State University that included 23 adults with prediabetes showed that daily mango intake improves glycemic and body composition outcomes in adults with prediabetes. One group ate 300 grams of fresh mango daily for 24 weeks, while the other group ate a calorie-matched granola bar and avoided eating mangoes for 24 weeks.
At the end of the 24-week period, mango eaters had:
- Significantly lower fasting blood glucose.
- Significantly improved insulin sensitivity.
- Stable average blood glucose, while the control group showed a significant increase in average blood glucose.
A study from the Illinois Institute of Technology included 46 overweight or obese adults and showed that mango consumption is associated with increased insulin sensitivity in participants with overweight or obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation.
One group ate 2 cups of mangoes daily for four weeks and another avoided mango consumption and other high-polyphenol foods. All participants completed an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test at the beginning and end of the four-week study.
Compared to the baseline, the group eating mangoes for four weeks had significantly lower insulin concentrations following the test and significantly lower fasting insulin concentrations than the other group, the study showed.
