Research published in the Journal of Nutrition has suggested that mangos could play a beneficial role in curbing the adverse effects associated with a high-fat diet.
Samples from studies performed on mice were compared from the beginning to the end of the study period, and mango supplementation was found to prevent the loss of beneficial gut bacteria often induced by a high-fat diet.
The findings are thought to be important because specific bacteria in the intestinal tract may play a role in obesity and obesity-related complications, such as type 2 diabetes.
The study looked at 60 male mice that were assigned to one of four dietary treatment groups for 12 weeks. Control diet with 10% of calories from fat, high-fat diet, with 60% calories from fat, or high fat with 1% or 10% mango. All high-fat diets had similar macronutrient, calcium, phosphorus, and fiber content.
The high-fat dietary treatment with 10% mango (equivalent to 1½ cups of fresh mango pieces) was found to be the most effective in preventing the loss of beneficial bacteria from a high-fat diet without decreasing body weight or fat accumulation.
Specifically, mango supplementation regulated gut bacteria in favor of Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia and enhanced short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) production. SCFAs have been shown to possess a wide range of beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory properties.
“Fiber and other bioactive compounds in plant-based foods are suggested to prevent gut dysbiosis caused by a high-fat diet,” said Edralin A. Lucas, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University and lead researcher of the study.
“Mango is a good source of fiber and has been reported in previous studies to have anti-obesogenic, hypoglycemic and immunomodulatory properties,” continued Lucas, “The results of this animal study showed that adding mango to the diet may help maintain and regulate gut health and levels of beneficial bacteria levels.”
Further research is necessary to see if these study results can be replicated in humans.”
Source: Food Ingredients First
