Eating more than two mangoes daily may worsen gestational diabetes , Experts warns

By Francesca Hangeior

While mangoes are indeed a nutrient powerhouse, packed with iron, vitamin C, A, and B6, potassium, and folic acid, experts caution that consuming more than two mangoes a day could worsen complications for women with gestational diabetes and called for moderation.

Being the season of mango with over 300 varieties to be enjoyed worldwide, specialists warn that excess consumption of mangoes with a glycemic index between 51 and 55 may put pregnant women with gestational diabetes at a higher risk of complications.

They, however, cautioned pregnant women with gestational diabetes who crave mangoes to eat them in moderation without peeling the back to reduce their sugar content.

According to them, overeating can lead to excess weight gain, which also worsens gestational diabetes.

An online medical portal, Cleveland Clinic, described gestational diabetes as the type that develops in pregnancy when blood sugar levels get too high.

This, it, usually appears between 24 and 28 weeks, and is usually pregnancy-induced.

Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews, both nutritionists and diabetologists described the Glycemic Index as a number that gives an idea about how fast the body converts carbohydrates in food to glucose.

They said if GI is a way to rank foods containing carbohydrates on a scale from 1 to 100 based on how much they affect blood sugar levels, the smaller the number, the less impact the food has on blood sugar.

A Director of Nutrition Services and Health Education at the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, James Oloyede, said women with gestational diabetes can eat mangoes but in moderation.

He noted that the reason some foods make blood sugar shoot up faster is due to simple carbohydrates in them, such as refined sugars, which make it easier for the body to change into glucose, which is the sugar the body uses for energy.

Oloyede added, “Mango can still be consumed by someone with gestational diabetes. However, the consumption should be moderate.”

The Nutritionist said that this is important due to the high glycemic index of mango as a result of its high sugar content that confers on it the natural sweetness it has.

Oloyede, who recommended not too ripe and strong mangoes for pregnant women, said, “A ripe mango is naturally sweet. Most dieticians would recommend a 100g mango ripe but firm. Not the type that is already over-ripe.”

He noted that the yet to ripe mango contains less sugar and is ideal for pregnant women with gestational diabetes or even other patients with diabetes.

“Mangoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For a woman with gestational diabetes, excess consumption can trigger the complications associated with diabetes in pregnancy.

“The complications often result in poor pregnancy outcomes and incidence of diet-related non-communicable diseases in the children during adult life.”

According to him, it is crucial to ensure that such a woman takes a healthy diet rich in protein and carries out regular monitoring of sugar levels.

He noted that nutrition counselling from a nutritionist or dietician coupled with regular physical activity to manage gestational diabetes is required by women with such conditions.

“She should enjoy mango as an occasional treat, but give priority to nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats for a positive pregnancy outcome,” Oloyede added.

Corroborating his position, a Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Olufemi Fasanmade said, “Mangoes should be eaten in moderation by women with gestational diabetes and others say one-to-two mangoes per sitting.”

Fasanmade, who is an expert in the management of diabetes, said though the GI of mango is within the medium level, he warned, “taking a large quantity of mango can lead to weight gain and eventually diabetes.”

The consultant endocrinologist said moderation is the watchword for mango consumption among pregnant women and advised those craving the fruit to eat both the inside and back, as the back is rich in fibre that would reduce the sugar level in the blood by not being digested and absorbed in the stomach.

Strengthening this assertion, a study by Candice Stamper et al, published in the National Library of Medicine and titled, ‘Effects of fresh vs dried mango consumption on satiety and postprandial glucose in healthy adults,’ affirms that consuming mango with its back helps to lower the high glucose content in the mango.

The study indicates that the mechanisms for mango with a medium glycemic index lowering glucose are attributed to its dietary fibre, indicating that fibre is not broken down into glucose by the small intestine like other digestible carbohydrates.

“Instead, it passes the gastrointestinal tract undigested into the colon where it is fermented by gut bacteria. Therefore, it does not lead to prolonged spiked glucose levels compared to foods that contain digestible carbohydrates and that do not contain high amounts of fibre.

“Another potential glucose-lowering mechanism of mango could be due to its abundant bioactive compounds like mangiferin. Mangiferin has been shown to have antidiabetic properties by decreasing glucose levels and insulin resistance by enhancing insulin sensitivity.

“Additionally, mangiferin is an inhibitor of glucosidase which are enzymes responsible for the breakdown of carbohydrates. Therefore, mangiferin could prevent a large amount of carbohydrates from being converted to glucose and absorbed in the intestine,” the study concluded.