Eating half a cup of mango four times a week could reduce wrinkles, study suggests
Many go to extreme lengths to achieve a youthful appearance, but the secret to smooth skin may be snacking on mangos.
Like other orange fruit and vegetables, mangos are rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which has been shown to delay cell damage.
To better understand how it could smooth out crow’s feet, scientists from University of California in Davis analysed the mango consumption of 28 post-menopausal women.
Results suggest those who ate half a cup of Ataulfo mangoes – also known as honey or Champagne mangoes – four times a week experienced a 23% reduction to their deep wrinkles after two months.
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It appears you can have too much of a good thing, however, with the results suggesting the women who ate a cup and a half of mangos four times a week saw their wrinkles worsen.
The scientists analysed women with fair skin, which is more prone to sun damage, a key cause of ageing.
The women were divided into two groups, with the first consuming half a cup (85g) of mangoes four times a week and the second eating a cup and a half (250g) of the fruit.
Wrinkles were assessed via a high-resolution camera.
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“The system we used to analyse wrinkles allowed us to not just visualise wrinkles, but to quantify and measure wrinkles,” said study author Professor Robert Hackman.
“This is extremely accurate and allowed us to capture more than just the appearance of wrinkles or what the eye might see.”
The scientists assessed the severity, length and width of the women’s fine, deep and emerging wrinkles.
Results, published in the journal Nutrients, revealed those who consumed half a cup of mangos saw improvements across all categories.
“That’s a significant improvement in wrinkles,” said lead author Vivien Fam.
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Further research into this is required, however, the scientists wondered if the pigments that give mango its distinctive orange colour may help build collagen – the protein that provides strength and elasticity to skin.
There appears to be a sweet spot when it comes to mango consumption, however.
“Women who ate a cup and a half of mangoes for the same periods of time saw an increase in wrinkles,” said Fam.
“This shows while some mango may be good for skin health, too much of it may not be.”
Although unclear why this occurred, excessive consumption of the fruit may be detrimental due to its large amount of naturally-occurring sugar.
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