Mangoes For Weight Loss: Ways To Add Mango To Your Summer Weight Loss Plan

Nothing spells summer indulgence like mangoes. Often described as the 'King of fruits,' the bright yellow fruit has made many fans across the globe. A cup full of juicy mango pieces is just too hard to resist for us mere mortals. However, over the years, mango has acquired notoriety among health freaks who believe that indulging in mangoes is a sure shot way to pile on kilos. A lot of people keep away from mangoes for fear of gaining weight that they have worked hard to keep off, all this time. However, what if we told you, it doesn't have to be that way and you can happily indulge in this sweet fruit, without gaining weight?

Health Benefits Of Mangoes

Here are some health benefits of mangoes that you cannot ignore:

1. Mangoes have almost no fats or cholesterol.

2. Mangoes are full of satiating dietary fibre that can help you stay full for longer.

3. Mangoes are good for digestion and also promote gut health.

4. Mangoes have pectin which can fight bad cholesterol.

5. Mangoes are rich in antioxidant vitamin C, which boosts immunity.

Also Read: 4 Tips to Keep in Mind Before Buying Mangoes

How To Use Mangoes For Weight Loss

Summertime is the best for weight loss and a lot of people gear up to sport their best, most toned physiques. If you are staying away from mangoes because of your strict diet regime, you can rest easy, because we have the perfect solution for you.

Here are some ways you can safely include mangoes in your summer diet:

1. Control your portions: Mangoes are fat-free, and hence, you can safely eat them even on a diet, provided to eat them in small portions and don't go bingeing on them. A 100-gm serving of ripe mango pulp has a mere 60 calories! Therefore, you can eat raw mango pulp if you like, so long as it's in smaller portions.

2. Don't eat it with lunch: A lot of Indians eat mangoes in the form of aam ras with lunch. Aam ras has a lot of added sugar and just increases the overall calorie intake of the meal. Eating it with lunch can make you consume more calories, without serving any purpose other than satisfying your sweet tooth.

Also Read: Can Eating Mangoes Cause Acne?

3. Eat it as a snack: Indulge in a cup of ripe mango pulp as a healthy snack instead of eating it with lunch. Mangoes are a great snack as they are rich in dietary fibre. So, go ahead and grab a cup of that juicy pulp as an evening snack. It can help you stay away from that unhealthy bag of crisps or other fried snack foods.

4. Eat it before working out: A 100-gm serving of mango pulp has 15-gm carbohydrates and 14-gm sugar, making it serve as an energy booster. This makes mango a great pre-workout food. Indulge in some mangoes a half-hour before hitting the gym.

5. Avoid store-bought mango juice: Any packaged mango product obviously has added sugars in it. So, it's best to avoid these products, as they contain less nutrition and more simple sugars.

6. Avoid adding sweeteners to your mango: Mango is a very sweet fruit as it is and while eating it is okay even while you're on a diet, adding sugar or other sweeteners to it is definitely going to make you pile on unnecessary calories.

Also Read: 10 Best Mango Recipes

7. Eat it raw instead of juicing it: Juicing mangoes removes the fibre from it, which makes it less satiating or filling. Eat your mangoes raw to make use of it as a filling snack.

8. Eat it with the skin: Research has shown that mango skins have phytochemicals, which prevent fat formation in the body. So, if you can, chop your mango pulp with the skin still on, instead of throwing it away.

Any diet is successful if you watch your calorie intake closely and burn more than you consume each day. If your diet plan allows for you to eat a bit of mango, then you must go ahead and incorporate it in your weight loss diet. However, if you are a pre-diabetic or diabetic, you must consult your physician before indulging in mangoes.