Are mangoes good for diabetes? Indian studies challenge conventional wisdom

As summer sweeps across India, one of the most common questions a leading Mumbai-based diabetologist hears from his patients is: "Can I eat mangoes?"

"Mangoes, with their rich sweetness and diverse varieties, are a staple of Indian summers, and its understandable why people want to indulge," says Rahul Baxi.

However, this simple question, he says, comes loaded with misconceptions - ranging from the belief that mangoes should be strictly avoided, to the opposite extreme where some think eating mangoes in excess might "reverse diabetes".

The reality lies somewhere in between, but the confusion doesnt end with the season. "In fact, many patients return for follow-up visits post-mango season, often with elevated glucose levels, and sometimes, the culprit may just be overindulgence in this beloved fruit," says Dr Baxi.

This constant dilemma has left many people with diabetes wary of the "king of fruits". Yet, new research suggests that mangoes might not be the villain theyre sometimes made out to be.

Two new Indian clinical trials are turning conventional dietary wisdom on its head, suggesting that controlled mango consumption instead of carbohydrates (in the form of bread) may actually improve blood sugar and metabolic health in people with type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin, while in type 2, the body becomes resistant to insulins effects.

Type 2 diabetes makes up over 90% of global cases, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Its the eighth leading cause of disease burden worldwide, projected to rank second by 2050. Though not fully understood, its strongly linked to excess weight, age, ethnicity and family history.

In India, an estimated 77 million adults have type 2 diabetes, while nearly 25 million are prediabetic and at high risk of developing the condition, according to the World Health Organization.

Yet amidst the challenges, new findings offer a surprising ray of hope - especially for mango lovers.

A pilot study soon to appear in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and involving 95 participants found that three popular Indian mango varities - Safeda, Dasheri and Langra - produced similar or lower glycemic responses than white bread over two hours of glucose testing. (A glycemic response is how quickly and how much a food raises blood sugar levels after eating.)

Continuous glucose monitoring of people with and without type 2 diabetics over three days showed that, in participants with diabetes, post-meal sugar fluctuations were significantly smaller after eating a mango. This low fluctuation glycemic response could be beneficial to the body in the long run, researchers say.

"Mangoes are a much-loved fruit and maligned for its possible glucose and weight-elevating effects," said Dr Sugandha Kehar, first author of both studies.

"These studies show that within prescribed diets, consumption of mangoes are not detrimental to blood glucose and may even be beneficial,"

A second, eight-week randomised trial published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders - conducted at Delhis Fortis C-DOC with Indian Council of Medical Research funding - has reinforced the findings.

Thirty-five adults with type 2 diabetes who replaced their breakfast bread with 250g of mango saw improvements in fasting glucose, haemoglobin A1C test (HbA1c) which measures average blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, weight, waist circumference and HDL cholesterol. These markers are key indicators of diabetes control and overall metabolic health.

"We showed the benefits of small doses of mangoes in place of carbohydrates (bread) in breakfast in two detailed studies for the first time, laying to rest all speculations regarding adverse metabolic effects of its consumption," says Prof Anoop Misra, senior author and study lead.

"But the key is moderation and clinical supervision - this is not a licence for unlimited mango feasts."

I asked Prof Misra what eating mangoes in moderation meant.

"If your daily limit is 1,600 calories, any calories from mango should be part of that total, not extra. A 250g mango - about one small fruit - has roughly 180 calories. As in the study, youd replace an equivalent amount of carbs with mango to get the same results," he told me.

Dr Baxi says he tells his patients something similar.

"If glucose levels are under control, I do allow and even encourage my patients to enjoy mangoes in limited quantities - about half portion which gives 15g carbohydrates - once or twice a day."

Dr Baxi tells his patients: portion control is key - mangoes should be eaten between meals, not as dessert. Pair them with protein or fibre, and avoid combining with other carbs or sugary forms, such as juices and milkshakes.

Beyond its metabolic impact, the mango occupies a far larger place in Indian life - a fruit that opens doors both literally and figuratively, carrying cultural, social and even diplomatic significance.

"Mango diplomacy" is a familiar phrase across the subcontinent, where carefully chosen crates of the fruit can grease political deals, strengthen alliances or smooth over tense negotiations.

Mango festivals pop up across Indian cities, celebrating the fruits cultural and economic significance. The fruit is, at once, a favourite indulgence and a quietly powerful social currency. "Most Indians have a personal favourite mango and parochial regional loyalties have long fuelled heated ranking debates," says Pushpesh Pant, a Delhi-based historian and culinary expert.

"Good mangoes are not just to be eaten; they are adornments like jewellery. The rules of the mango push the best produce towards those willing to pay the highest price," writes Sopan Joshi in Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango, a magisterial account of the fruit and its admirers.

There are more than 1,000 varieties of mango grown in India. Joshi writes Indias mangoes vary by region: northern and eastern varieties like Langra, Dasheri, Chausa and Himsagar are intensely sweet, while southern types offer a subtle sweet-sour flavour. The Alphonso of western India owes its signature taste to a unique balance of sugar and acid.

So central is the fruit to Indian life that the calendar year itself often begins with the mango flowering. Poet Ghalib called the mango a "a sealed glass of honey", and hundreds of books have been written celebrating its allure.

Part indulgence, part icon, the mango continues to delight and inspire - now with a surprising nod from science.