FAQs

If you have extra mangos and space to spare in your freezer, you can easily freeze your fresh, ripe mangos for later use! Ripe mangos can be frozen for up to 6 months cut or pureed. Simply wash, slice and dice your ripe mangos, arrange the slices on a flat baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Once the mango slices are frozen, store them in an airtight, sealed container or freezer bag. You can also puree mango in a food processor or blender, pour into an airtight, sealed container and place in the freezer.

For those who have allergic reactions when coming in contact with mango skin, it would be best to steer clear from eating the mango peel/skin. The mango skin contains urushiol, a compound found in poison ivy and poison oak, and may cause an allergic reaction for some individuals. This reaction can produce the same type of allergic reactions as poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, including skin lesions, or swollen lips and tongue. While a mango allergy is rare, you’ll want to make sure you’re not allergic to mango before coming into contact with the skin of these fruits.

The skin of mango is edible and can be often consumed in many preparations. Mango skin is enjoyed by many cultures.

Mangos contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals, helping to make them a superfood. The nutrients in mango help support various benefits to your body, including immune function, cardiovascular function, cognitive function and neurologic function. Check out the approved Mango Nutrition Messages to learn more.

Research studies surrounding the health benefits of mangos are ongoing in areas such as diabetes and obesity, gut health, heart health, skin health and cancer. For more information on the research surrounding mangos, check out the Mango Nutrition Handout and the Research Section on www.mango.org.

A serving of fruit according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s My Plate, is one cup.¹ Because mangos vary in size, smaller mangos, such as the Honey mango (Ataulfo) may yield 1 cup of fruit, and larger mangos, such as the Haden or Kent, may provide more than 2 cups of fruit.

Absolutely. Mangos may taste so deliciously sweet that they feel like a treat, but they’re incredibly nutrient-dense and can easily be included as part of a healthy diet for individuals with diabetes. Mangos are classified as a low glycemic food, according to the American Diabetes Association, and research has demonstrated that mangos may help maintain normal blood sugar levels.¹⁷

According to the American Diabetes Association, “A healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is generally the same as a healthy diet for anyone – low in saturated and trans fat, moderate in salt and sugar, with meals based on lean protein, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, good fats and fruit.” ² The main goal of a diabetic-friendly diet is to help keep blood sugar levels controlled. Carbohydrates (found in grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and some diary products) provide energy and essential nutrients to the body, however they do have a greater impact on blood sugar levels than either protein or fat.³

For individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, keeping an eye on portion size when eating fruit is key for managing blood sugar levels. As a general guideline, one serving of fruit provides 15 grams of carbohydrates, and one ¾ cup serving of fresh mango provides 19 grams of carbohydrates.⁴

In addition to providing carbohydrates, mangos also provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and are a nutrient-dense addition to a healthful diet. In summary, while no foods are off-limits for individuals with diabetes, keeping an eye on portion size and carbohydrate content of foods is helpful in managing blood sugar levels.

Mangos can cause an allergic reaction in some people, although it is fairly uncommon. Most allergic reactions to mangos are skin rashes, which usually results in response to touching the mango peel. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the rind of the mango fruit and the sap from the mango tree contain urushiol, an oily, organic allergenic chemical that is also found in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. ¹² This makes sense considering that mangos are in the same botanical family as poison ivy and poison oak called Anacardiaceae. ^13-14 Contact with urushiol by touching mango tree leaves, bark or the skin of mango fruit may cause allergic contact dermatitis, an itchy, blistering skin condition.

The good news is that your days ahead may not be entirely mango-less. Although some individuals can have allergies to the mango flesh, the mango’s skin is most often the culprit. The most commonly consumed part of the mango fruit (the pulp or flesh) does not contain urushiol. You can attempt to avoid coming in contact with urushiol by having someone else cut the fruit or by wearing thick non-latex gloves when preparing and slicing the mango.

Additionally, although labeled with a low/undetermined degree of association, some people who report sensitivity to latex may have adverse reactions to mango skin. Latex is a milky fluid that secretes from rubber trees, or Hevea brasiliensis, when the plant is cut. It is used to make medical supplies, gloves, rubber bands, balloons and toys. ¹⁵ According to the American Latex Association, some of the same proteins from latex are also found in fruits, which may cause the allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. ¹⁶

For medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider.

A ¾ cup serving of mango contains 17 grams of total sugars with 0 added sugars. The naturally occurring sugars help make mangos taste so deliciously sweet, but this is a good sweet. These natural sugars (fructose) differs from the added sugars found in sugar sweetened beverages and other treats. Mangos may taste like a treat, but they’re incredibly nutrient-dense – offering an abundance of nutrients in every bite.

According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 45 to 65 percent of a person’s total daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. 7 For someone who consumes 2,000 calories per day, this is equivalent to approximately 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates per day. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), or minimum recommended carbohydrate intake for both men and women is 130 grams.⁸ While there is no official definition for a low-carb diet, carbohydrate intake is often below 130 grams per day on low-carb diets – although this amount does vary – depending on the recommendations. A ¾ cup serving of mango provides 19 grams of carbohydrates, which fits well into most low-carbohydrate eating plans.¹ It’s also important to keep in mind that multiple studies have shown that a diet, which emphasizes a variety of plant foods, including unsweetened fruit as part of an overall healthy diet may help reduce the risk for chronic diseases, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.^9-11

The National Mango Board (NMB) does not fund research studies involving animals; it has not done so since 2015 and has no plans to do so in the future. Before 2015, the few NMB research studies that involved animals included an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or the equivalent, charged with reviewing and approving the animal use protocols.

Mangos sold in the United States are typically ripened by storing the fruit at 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit after harvest. Like other fruits such as apples, bananas, and kiwis, mangos continue to naturally produce ethylene gas after being picked. Ethylene is the fruit’s way of ripening itself. That is why if you put mangos in a paper bag and close it tight, they will ripen faster than when sitting on the counter or in the refrigerator – the ethylene produced by the mangos is enclosed in the bag, and the increased concentration helps the fruit ripen. Adding additional ethylene to commercial mango shipments is not normally needed. However, ethylene treatment is sometimes used to improve the uniformity of ripeness within the mango.

No. Calcium carbide is not used to ripen mangos produced in, exported to, or sold in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not allow the use of calcium carbide as a ripening agent.

The key word here is “density” – a measure of how solid or compact something is. Individual mangos float or sink when placed into water, depending on their individual density. Denser than water, and the mango sinks; less dense than water, and it floats.

If you want to know more about the science, read on: All living things contain molecules; the closer together the molecules, the more compact or dense it is; the further apart the molecules, the less compact or less dense it is.¹⁸ Think about a small object like a penny that sinks but a large wood log that floats. Objects that are denser than water sink (a penny) and those less dense (a log) than water float.

Just like peaches and avocados, mangos also become softer as they ripen. “Feel” is the best indicator of a mango’s ripeness – squeeze the mango gently and a ripe mango will give slightly. Once a mango is fully ripe, it can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent further ripening. Ripe mangos can be refrigerated whole for up to five days, or two to three days when cut or pureed. For more information regarding ripening and storing mangos, check out this section of www.mango.org.

Mangos are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, providing 50% of the daily value in each ¾ cup serving. They’re also a good source of folate and copper, and provide 2 grams of fiber (7% DV) and 8% DV of vitamin A. The bright yellow flesh is a cue that they contain valuable polyphenols, or natural plant-based compounds that have been the focus of multiple studies. See the Mango Nutrition Facts Label.

Multiple varieties of mangos are available throughout the year – each with their own unique characteristics, including color and size. The red or green color that appears on some varieties is not an indicator of ripeness. That’s why it’s important to keep in mind that color is not the best indicator of ripeness. Always judge by feel. You’ll simply want to give the mango a gentle squeeze and if it gives a little bit, it’s ripe and ready to eat! Use your experience with produce such as peaches or avocados, which also become softer as they ripen. Ripe mangos will sometimes have a fruity aroma at their stem ends, as well. View these helpful tips on the “How to Choose a Mango” section at www.mango.org.

Cutting a mango is as easy as 1, 2, 3! The most important thing to remember is that the mango has a long, flat seed in the center of the fruit. First, stand the mango on your cutting board stem end down and hold. Place your knife about 1/4″ from the widest center line and cut down through the mango. Repeat on the other side, and you’ll have two mango “cheeks.” Secondly, cut parallel slices or a checkerboard into the mango flesh, being careful not to cut through the skin. And lastly, scoop the mango slices or cubes out of the mango skin using a tablespoon and enjoy! For more information on cutting mangos, visit How To Cut a Mango.