Mango consumption supports postmenopausal heart and metabolic health.

Scientists from UC Davis recently explored whether eating mangos could benefit the cardiovascular health of women after menopause. Their findings, published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association, examined what happened when participants consumed roughly two servings of mango (about 330 grams or 1.5 cups) each day for two weeks.

The National Mango Board funded this research, which included 24 women between ages 50 and 70. All participants had BMIs ranging from 25 to 40, indicating overweight or obesity. Before beginning the study, the women avoided mangos entirely, then added the daily portions to their diet during the experimental period. The research team tracked blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other cardiovascular markers both before and after mango consumption.

The findings revealed notable improvements in key health indicators. Within two hours of eating mangos, participants showed meaningful drops in blood pressure—systolic pressure fell by roughly 6 points (6.3 mmHg) while mean arterial pressure decreased by 2.3 mmHg. Over the study period, fasting cholesterol levels also improved significantly, with total cholesterol dropping nearly 13 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol (the harmful type) decreasing by approximately 13 mg/dL.

In a smaller follow-up investigation involving six women, researchers compared mango’s effects on blood sugar and insulin to those of white bread. The tropical fruit produced more moderate blood glucose spikes and better insulin responses than the processed carbohydrate.

The study authors propose that incorporating fresh mangos into the diet could be a valuable approach for supporting heart health in postmenopausal women, who face elevated cardiovascular risks due to hormonal and metabolic shifts during this life stage. While these preliminary results appear encouraging, the researchers emphasize that additional studies with larger groups and longer timeframes are needed to validate these benefits.

TO READ MORE, OPEN THE LINK BELOW: