If you discard the mango skin, you might want to reconsider. Learn about the health risks and benefits of eating the mango skin or peel.
We love to eat our fruits by just biting into them and let it squeeze out the juices in our mouth. But, there are many fruits whose skin, peel or rind is usually discarded to eat the fleshy insides. Mango is one such fruit whose skin is tossed out to wallow in the delicious pulpy fruit. Mango is the most-loved tropical fruit that eases our summer woes with its sweet, mushy treat. There is an array of different kinds of mangoes available throughout the season, all of which are eaten and enjoyed by people with the same zeal. However, the outer layer of all these varieties of mangoes is sheared off to make way for the soft and delicious mango flesh.
Many food experts are of the opinion that mango peel does not have to be necessarily discarded. While it plays an important role in forming a protective covering for the valuable fruit inside, it is an important food item in itself.
Advantages Of Eating Mango Peel -
- Vitamin A and C are found in abundance in mango peels. These vitamins help in building the immune system of the body.
- The stupendously fibrous quality of mango peel makes it a great metabolism booster, which proves to be highly effective in losing excessive weight. It also eases bowel movements, keeping the digestion system running smoothly.
- Phytonutrients present in the shell of mangoes contain certain antioxidants that fight infections and harmful diseases.
- Certain components found in mango peels like triterpenes and triterpenoids, maintain blood sugar levels.
- Flavonoids contained in mango peels resist early aging and impart a dewy glow to the skin.
- Mango peel contains almost all the nutrients offered by the fruit itself but is shorn off sugar and carbohydrates and excessive calories. This may be a good factor for people looking to lose some weight.
Risks
Although mango skin contains many healthful compounds, you might wish to skip the peel if you are sensitized to urushiol, the active chemical in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Some people get dermatitis from handling or eating mangoes. In more extreme cases, exposure can cause difficulty breathing. The peel contains more urushiol than the fruit, so it's more likely to produce a reaction.
Even if you have never had a reaction from touching poison ivy or eating mango skin, you need to be aware of the risk. You could have been exposed to urushiol-containing plants many times or all your life and suddenly become sensitive.
The other potential health risk from eating mango peel comes from pesticides. Since most people, at least in the United States, tend to remove the skin of the fruit, the fruit is often sprayed. If you wish to eat the skin, your best bet is to eat organic mangoes. Otherwise, be sure to wash the fruit before eating it to minimize pesticide residue.