New study reveals potential mango role of maintaining gut health - FreshFruitPortal.com

New study reveals potential mango role of maintaining gut health

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New study reveals potential mango role of maintaining gut health

Research published in the Journal of Nutrition has for the first time documented the potential effects of mango consumption on gut microbiota of mice. mango-shutterstock_318793097

When samples were compared from the beginning to the end of the study period, mango supplementation was found to prevent the loss of beneficial gut bacteria often induced by a high-fat diet.

The U.S. National Mango Board (NMB) said this finding was important as specific bacteria in the intestinal tract may play a role in obesity and obesity-related complications like type 2 diabetes.

In the study, 60 male mice were assigned to one of four dietary treatment groups for 12 weeks ā€“ control (with 10% of calories from fat), high fat (with 60% calories from fat), or high fat with 1% or 10% mango. All high-fat diets had similar macronutrient, calcium, phosphorus, and fiber content.

ā€œFiber and other bioactive compounds in plant-based foods are suggested to prevent gut dysbiosis caused by a high-fat diet,ā€ said Edralin A. Lucas, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at Oklahoma State University and lead researcher of the study.

ā€œMango is a good source of fiber and has been reported in previous studies to have anti-obesogenic, hypoglycemic and immunomodulatory properties.

"The results of this animal study showed that adding mango to the diet may help maintain and regulate gut health and levels of beneficial bacteria levels. Further research is necessary to see if these study results can be replicated in humans."

In previous studies, Bifidobacteria, for example, has been found to be lower in both obese individuals and those with type-2 diabetes. 

Similar results have been observed with Akkermansia in animal studies. High-fat diets have been linked to gut dysbiosis, or bacterial imbalances within the intestinal tract.

The high-fat dietary treatment with 10% mango (equivalent to 1Ā½ cups of fresh mango pieces) was found to be the most effective in preventing the loss of beneficial bacteria from a high-fat diet without decreasing body weight or fat accumulation.

Specifically, mango supplementation regulated gut bacteria in favor of Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia and enhanced short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) production. SCFAs have been shown to possess a wide range of beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory properties.

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