Mangoes
Mouthwatering mangoes may be difficult to peel and messy to eat, but the effort’s worth it – they are one of the few tropical fruits with a low GI (51) so they’ll deliver sustained energy without spiking those blood glucose levels (in modest portions). That’s not all. They are also an excellent source of vitamin C, high in the soluble fibre pectin that helps in controlling blood cholesterol, a good source of vitamin E, rich in beta-carotene which the body converts to vitamin A, and loaded with compounds called polyphenols which have strong antioxidant properties protecting against heart disease and cancer. So you really don’t need an excuse to grab one.
Some mango lovers suggest that the best way to eat them is in the shower! But there are easier ways to enjoy a mango without the chin drips and messy hands. Simply slice the unpeeled mango lengthways down each side of the stone with a sharp paring knife. Score the fleshy cheeks into cubes in a criss-cross or diamond pattern (don’t cut through the skin), flip inside out, slice the dice into a dish and go for it.
Dried mango and mango juice have many of the nutritional benefits of fresh, but you are entering ‘a very little goes a long way’ territory here as they are substantially more energy dense. Keep these for occasional foods. A serving is 1 cheek fresh mango; ½ cup (125 ml) mango juice (no added sugar) or 30 g dried mango.![[MANGOES]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2007/dec2007/mango250.jpg)
1 December 2007
Food of the Month
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2 comments:
Some other sites (GI Foundation South Africa)mention that the GI of mangoes is 80 and the GL is 30, whereas this site mentions 51! What to believe? Does it depend on the type of mango? Here in Queensland, the popular varieties are Kensigton Pride and R2E2. This being and Australian website, I expect it is one these that you have tested.
The GI values for all foods that we publish and that you will find on the www.glycemicindex.com database have been tested following the internationally standardised method by an accredited laboratory. This method is now incorporated in the Australian Standard for GI testing. And yes, the mangoes were Australian ones tested here at the University of Sydney by SUGiRS. In case you missed our story on the Australian Standard back in February 2007, here is a summary of a couple of the key points:
1. In a world first, Standards Australia have released a standard for use by food manufacturers, accreditation bodies, regulators, educational institutes, testing laboratories, and research organisations that sets out a recognised scientific method for determining the GI of carbohydrates in foods.
2. The standard has been submitted to the International Standards Organisation for possible adoption by other member countries around the world, so eventually consumers in the United States, Canada and Europe and other parts of the world may benefit from this initiative.
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