How Healthy Are Mangoes?

In India, the mango is known as the “king of fruits.” The fruit, and its tree and leaves, are symbols of prosperity, good luck and love.

There’s a lot to love nutritionally, too. Mangoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium. And they freeze well, making them a year-round smoothie staple.

Here’s what to know about their health attributes, along with delicious recipes from New York Times Cooking.

They’re high in sugar — but it’s not like eating a cookie.

One half of a peeled mango contains about 23 grams of sugar, which is more than twice what you get in a typical store-bought chocolate chip cookie.

But the natural sugar in mangoes doesn’t spike your blood glucose the way the added sugar in cookies does, said Jessica Higgins, a dietitian in the Lifestyle Medicine program at NYC Health + Hospitals Woodhull. That’s because your body has to break down the beneficial fiber in a mango to access the fruit’s sugar. This takes time, which gives your body a chance to gradually process the glucose. In a cookie, she said, the refined sugar is immediately available, which is why it can cause a spike.

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