Nutritionists are offering people with a condition marked by blood sugar control counterintuitive advice that could actually halt a deadly disease progress in its tracks.
Approximately 96 million adults and 8 million kids in America are living with prediabetes, a prelude to type 2 diabetes, marked by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. The condition is typically asymptomatic, and people may live with it for years without knowing, until it turns into full-blown diabetes.
For people with prediabetes, doctors recommend foods that cause a slow, steady rise in blood sugar rather than a rapid spike, including whole, unprocessed foods over packaged and sugary items.
But a new study is turning that advice on its head, with scientists concluding that high-sugar fruits may actually be the key to reversing prediabetes.
Tropical fruits contain between 10 to 50 grams of sugar, making them foods that people concerned about blood glucose try to avoid.
But clinical nutrition researcher Raedeh Basiri said that mangos, despite having high levels of natural sugar, may offer protective factors for adults with prediabetes. People in the latest study who ate a daily mango showed improved blood glucose control, enhanced insulin sensitivity and reduced body fat.
A mango also contains a wealth of vitamins, including A, C, B6 and E, plus key minerals like potassium and copper and more than five grams of fiber, a key nutrient that slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This prevents rapid spikes in blood glucose, which can, over time, cause type 2 diabetes, suffered by 37million Americans.
The sugar content is not the only factor in picking the right foods. Fiber and vitamin content are just as important, and Basiri said in a statement: ‘Individuals at high risk of diabetes should not only focus on the sugar content of foods, but on how sugars are delivered.’
Though tropical fruits are often avoided for their sugar, researcher Raedeh Basiri suggests mangoes could have protective factors for those with prediabetes
Basiri conducted the first long-term clinical trial to show the tropical fruit’s positive effects on metabolism and lean body mass, despite its high sugar content.
Researchers from Florida, Nevada and Virginia recruited 24 adults aged 50 to 70 with prediabetes. They were screened to exclude factors that could skew the results, such as existing diabetes, specific diets, or being a frequent mango eater.
They were then randomly assigned to one of two groups for 24 weeks. One group ate 300 grams of fresh mango, equivalent to one whole fruit, with about 32 grams of sugar daily.
The control ate a granola bar with about 11 grams of sugar and the same number of calories every day.
At the beginning of the study and at weeks six, 12 and 24, the researchers measured blood sugar and insulin levels, insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance.
They also measured people’s body fat percentage, the total weight of everything in their body that is not fat and the total amount of water contained within their body. They kept track of people’s body weight, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio as well.
Participants in the study tracked their daily intake of either mango or granola bars. The data were then analyzed to compare the changes over time between the two groups, controlling for baseline differences in characteristics such as sex and race.
The data revealed compelling evidence for the benefits of daily mango consumption in adults with prediabetes.
The most significant signs that health was improving were observed in people in the mango group.
Their fasting blood glucose levels decreased, while the control group’s levels increased, resulting in the mango group showing a clinically significant 18.3 mg/dL improvement by the end of the study.
The mango group’s fasting blood glucose decreased to 107.0 mg/dL, while the control group’s increased to 125.3 mg/dL.
The normal range for fasting blood sugar is 70 to 99 mg/dL.
The marker for long-term blood sugar regulation in the mango remained stable but rose in the control group, proving that a daily mango exerted a protective effect against worsening blood sugar regulation.
The benefits also extended to people’s body composition.
Those who ate mangoes showed decreased body fat percentage from about 31 percent to 29 percent, a relative reduction of nearly five percent.
At the same time, the group that ate mangoes experienced a significant increase in fat-free mass, which is vital for a healthy metabolism, because muscle is a primary site for the disposal of blood sugar.
After 24 weeks, the mango group’s (blue) fasting blood glucose decreased to 107.0 mg/dL, while the control group’s (orange) level increased to 125.3 mg/dL, a clinically significant difference
The graph shows changes in people’s waist-hip ratio at the start of the study and over the course of 24 weeks. The group consuming mango (blue) daily saw a significant decrease in their waist-to-hip ratio, a key indicator of health risk. In contrast, the control group (orange) experienced a significant increase in their ratio over the same period.
The control group showed no significant improvements in either marker, suggesting that incorporating a daily mango can be a practical dietary strategy for enhancing metabolic health and body composition in people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study was published in the journal Foods.
Basiri said: ‘It is not just the sugar content that matters, but the overall food context that matters.
‘The goal is to encourage people to include whole fruits, like mango, as part of healthy eating behaviors and practical dietary strategies for diabetes prevention.’
Preventing prediabetes primarily involves adopting sustainable lifestyle habits that improve how your body uses insulin and manages blood sugar.
Key strategies include focusing on a balanced diet rich in fiber from vegetables, fruits and whole grains while limiting processed foods and sugary drinks.
Regular physical activity is crucial. Experts say aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, like brisk walking, per week to help muscles use glucose more effectively.
Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight, getting adequate sleep and managing stress levels are key for preserving metabolic health and significantly reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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