The mango is the "king of fruit"

Sometimes called "the king of fruits" mangoes are the most widely consumed fruit in the world (1). I grew up with apples and oranges as the main fruits in our house. Every once in a while, there'd be a pear or two and maybe some peaches or plums. Sometimes, our fruit equaled fruit cocktail in a can. I don't think I had my first mango until well into my thirties. Boy, was I missing out. 

Maybe it was the cost that held back my parents or maybe it just wasn't available. Nowadays,  they are available year-round and sometimes you can get them at a really low price! For instance, right now, mangoes are on sale at our local Publix grocery store, 5 for $5. The one pictured is well over a pound and it was only $1. So often, I hear people say you can't eat healthy on a budget, but you can, if you do it right. 

What about their nutritional value? Are they really any good for you? Let's take a look (2)

The only negative I see is the high levels of sugar. The sugars are about 51% sucrose, 34% fructose and 15% glucose. Glucose is used by the body as an energy source (glucose is the preferred energy source for your muscles and brain). Therefore, glucose is well used by the body. Carbohydrates also break down as glucose where energy is to be used immediately or stored. Fructose is metabolized primarily by the liver. It produces energy through glycolysis but also uses lipogenesis to produce fat. So any fructose not needed immediately as energy becomes fat. Sucrose is made of one fructose molecule and one glucose molecule. So, when consumed, the sucrose splits and the glucose is immediately used for energy, then if the remaining fructose isn't needed for energy, it will become fat. (3) So, basically, in this mango, about 19 grams of the sugars, if not used for energy, will become fat. The average person eating a 2,000 calorie a day diet should not eat more than  50 grams of sugar.

While that long sugar explanation sounds bad, it's not as bad as you think. When eating these natural sugars as whole fruit, they also contain fiber and phytonutrients such as carotenoids and polyphenols that help fight toxins in the body. Plus, the mango is packed full of vitamins. There is a reason why it is called the "king of fruits."

So, go ahead. Eat a mango. If you feel fancy, you can even make a mango flower on a stick! Who doesn't love a big, juicy, sweet mango that also happens to be on sale?!

---

Sources:
(1) https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/are-mangoes-good-for-you#Mango-nutrition-facts
(2) ​https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc
(3) https://bralowmedicalgroup.com/sucrose-glucose-fructose/