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The Hindu
09-08-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
250 grams of mangoes instead of bread for breakfast led to improved glycaemic control in diabetics
A small study carried out for two months involving 35 participants with type-2 diabetes has found that daily consumption of 250 grams of mango pulp and 200 ml of toned milk for breakfast resulted in improved glycaemic control, weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and improved insulin sensitivity compared with the control group. The control group had 81 grams of white bread and 200 ml of toned milk. Results of the study were published recently in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. The serving size of mango was chosen based on macronutrient content to ensure equicaloric comparison with the control group. Blood glucose levels, body weight, anthropometric measures, and lipid profile of all 35 participants were measured before and after two months of the study. The participants were split into three groups — two treatment groups and one control group. The two treatment groups had 10 participants each — one group was served Safeda (Banganapalli) mango pulp, while the other treatment group was served Dasheri mango pulp. The control group with 15 participants consumed 81 grams of white bread. Lunch and dinner for both the treatment and control groups was a standard equicaloric diet as advised by guidelines for Asian Indians. Lunch and dinner for participants in the treatment and control groups were rich in vegetables and fruits, whole-grain, high-fibre foods, low-fat dairy products, limited foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, less sugar-sweetened beverages and foods with added sugar, reduced salt intake and no alcohol. One of the main reasons why participants in the treatment groups showed improved glycaemic control is because of the relatively less glycaemic index of mango compared with white bread. Food items with lower glycaemic index are less likely to significantly spike blood sugar levels when consumed in moderation. In addition, the fibre content in mangoes contributes to slower glucose absorption. 'The relatively lower glycaemic index and fibre content in mangoes is the reason why there is better blood glucose control and reduced insulin resistance compared with the group that had white bread, which is carbohydrate,' says Dr. Anoop Mishra, Chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology, Chirag Enclave, New Delhi, and the corresponding author of the paper. 'It is important to note that a finite and small serving of mangoes should be a replacement for carbohydrates. Diabetics should not consume mangoes in addition to normal diet,' he says. 'The glycaemic index of mango is low to moderate — from 51 to 56 — while it is around 75 for white bread,' says Dr. Sugandha Kehar from the Diabetes Foundation (India), New Delhi, and the first author of the paper. 'The sweetness of mangoes is wrongly perceived to elevate our blood glucose levels. We fail to realise or take into account the low-moderate glycaemic index of mangoes. We incorporate white bread and other refined carbohydrates in our diet without realising the adverse effects, particularly the relatively high glycaemic index.' Participants in the intervention group were served 250 grams of mango pulp for breakfast each day for the entire duration (two months) of the study. According to Dr. Kehar, there is no difference between eating fresh mango and mango pulp. Mango pulp was used in the study to ensure compliance and to ensure participants had only 250 grams of mango each day for two months. The control group who consumed white bread showed significant increases in fasting blood glucose levels and HbA1c, while participants in the intervention group (both mango varieties) had lower fasting blood glucose levels and HbA1c. Participants in the intervention group (both mango varieties) demonstrated improvements in insulin sensitivity compared with the control group. There was reduction in body weight, BMI and waist circumference among participants who consumed mangoes compared with those who consumed white bread. Importantly, the average blood sugar level for the day among participants who consumed mangoes was less compared with participants who consumed white bread. 'A better glucose profile after breakfast can help maintain better blood sugar levels throughout the day,' says Dr. Mishra. This is where substituting carbohydrates with a limited portion (about 250 grams) of mangoes for breakfast will help diabetics better control their blood glucose levels. While blood glucose levels, anthropometric measurements, weight and BMI were measured by the researchers before the start and end of the study, daily blood glucose levels were measured by the participants using a glucometer and daily food intake details were also recorded by the participants. The study has some limitations. Besides being small in size, the duration of the study was only for two months. Larger studies for a longer duration are necessary to confirm the benefits of limited consumption of mangoes for breakfast instead of carbohydrates. Pilot study The team had undertaken a pilot study to test the effectiveness of mangoes in reducing blood glucose levels. The pilot study tested both diabetics and non-diabetics. In the first part of the pilot study, the oral tolerance test two hours after breakfast consisting of 250 grams of mangoes (three varieties) for the intervention group and white bread for the control group was studied. The study included 25 non-diabetics and 20 type-2 diabetics. Mangoes were found to produce similar or lower (non-significant) glycaemic responses in both diabetics and non-diabetics. In the second part of the pilot study, blood glucose was monitored continuously for three days. The study included 25 non-diabetics and 25 type-2 diabetics. Mangoes (250 grams) for breakfast produced similar glycaemic responses as bread in the case of non-diabetics. However, in the case of diabetics, the harmful glucose variation was significantly lower in participants who consumed mangoes (intervention group) compared with the control group (white bread).
Indian Express
08-08-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Mango instead of bread can reduce blood sugar spikes, belly fat, says study: How can this change your breakfast?
What if there was something better than multigrain bread to pair your yogurt or eggs with for breakfast? And what if that happened to be something that for years has been feared to spike blood sugar but is everyone's summer favourite? Yes, mango, in restricted amounts and as a replacement for refined and processed carbs, blunts blood sugar spike compared to breads among those living with Type 2 diabetes, say researchers. This is a significant departure from conventional dietary advice for diabetes management which steers clear of mangoes as it is a high-sugar fruit. The findings, in two parts, were published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders, with evidence-based reassurance for including mangoes in prescribed diabetic diets. This was a randomized controlled trial held among 35 adults with Type 2 diabetes who consumed either 250 grams/day (one small-sized fruit) of Safeda or Dasheri mangoes, or an equivalent amount of white bread at breakfast for eight weeks. The study was led by Dr Sugandha Kehar, Fortis C-DOC Hospital, and co-authored by Dr Anoop Misra, Executive Chairman & Director, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Fortis C-Doc Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences. 'We chose mango because it is the most loved fruit, has never been studied but is maligned for its sugar-raising effect. Breads carry no such warnings for diabetics and feature regularly in most breakfasts. The studies show that within prescribed diets, consumption of mangoes is not detrimental to blood glucose and may even be beneficial,' says Dr Kehar. The study was done in three phases. In the oral tolerance test, which is done after two hours of a meal, mangoes produced a similar or lower blood sugar response than bread in both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. Phase 2 was a short-term study where subjects were studied for three days with the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Here too, glucose levels were found to be significantly lower after mango consumption compared to bread in diabetic participants, suggesting greater stability. But it was after a two-month study that we found that the mango group experienced reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c (average blood sugar count of three months) and improved their insulin function. Mango consumption led to decreased body weight, waist circumference (indicative of unhealthy abdominal fat), and skinfold thickness (indicative of unhealthy fat under the skin) compared to the bread group. HDL (high-density lipoprotein or good cholesterol) levels improved significantly. First of all, mango will raise blood sugar after major meals if had as a dessert. So here we used it as a meal component replacement, using it instead of bread, thereby sticking to the limits of daily calorie allowance. For best results, the mango must be portion-controlled and paired with protein. Never exceed 250 gm or a small sized mango in your breakfast. If not breakfast, then you can have mango as a mid-meal snack between breakfast and lunch or between lunch and dinner. In our study we combined mango with toned milk and home-made curd, also from toned milk. So there was no calorie overload. Avoid mango after heavy meals.
