Last Updated on by Eat Better Move More

Can I Eat The Skin of A Mango?

The skin, rind, or peel of vegetables and fruits functions acts a protective outer layer of the more delicate and softer flesh inside of it.

Even though they are often thrown away, most of these peels can be consumed because they loaded with nutrients like minerals, vitamins, fiber, and some vital compounds such as polyphenols. 

Mango (Mangifera indica) is one popular fruit that many people enjoy eat, so it is not uncommon to have them clear their doubts by asking questions such as, Can I eat the skin of a mango?

Some people fiercely contend that mangoes’ skin – which contains essential nutrients – ought to be eaten rather than thrown away.

This post will educate you on why it is essential to consume mangoes’ skin instead of discarding them. 

You can dig your teeth into the skin of apple fruit and not care about its skin, but you’ve not been doing the same for mangoes. 

Can I Eat The Skin of A Mango

Can I Eat The Skin of A Mango – The Risks

The skin of mangoes can be bitter-tasting, fibrous, and tough. But what if you consume its skin? Will it be detrimental to your health? Even though there are some health beneficial compounds in mango skin, it may not be right for you to consume if you are urushiol-sensitive.

Urushiol is the active component found in poison sumac, poison oak, and poison ivy. There are people who suffer dermatitis just by eating or even handling mangoes.

Some severe cases, like difficulty in breathing, can also result. More than the mango flesh, the skin contains urushiol, making it more probable to elicit a reaction.

Although you may not have suffered a reaction if you accidentally ate mango skin or touching poison ivy, you should be conscious of the risk involved. You may have also been in contact with plants that contain urushiol several times and can develop sudden sensitivity to it.  

Can Elicit an Allergic Reaction

The skin of mangoes contains urushiol, a mix of organic compounds also contained in poison oak and poison ivy. Urushiol can encourage an allergic reaction in certain people, particularly in people with allergies to poison ivy and some other urushiol-containing plants.

Be cautious of eating mango skins that can result in the swelling of your skin or cause some rash to it that can be itchy.

Could Contain Pesticide Residue

A lot of vegetables and fruits are sprayed with pesticides to ward off insect infestation and prevent the growth of bacteria that can spoil crops in it.

Discarding mango skin can decrease the amount of these harmful chemicals that you consume while eating it will increase the amount of it that you consume.

Research study has shown that exposure to pesticide has some negative health implications to the average human, such as increased chances of developing cancer, problems with the reproductive system, and disruption of the endocrine system.

Also, keep it at the back of your mind that all of these are basically linked to the routine, high exposure to a pesticide, and not in the amounts found on a sprayed mango skin.

So, it in essence, you’ll not get cancer if you accidentally ate mango skin due to some residual pesticides, but when happens when mango is your favourite fruit and you eat it every day? You catch the gist!

Unpleasant and Taste Texture 

Mango is indeed a soft sweet fruit that is delicious to eat, but the taste and texture of a mango skin are often unappealing to both the eyes and tongue.

Its skin is thicker than its flesh, and chewing it can be a little bit difficult, plus it can have a somewhat bitter taste.

Irrespective of its nutritional advantages, the slightly bitter taste of mango skin and its fibrous nature can be a big turn off for you.

Mango Skin Benefits 

If you love mangoes a lot, you may be now wondering what to do with mango skin after reading about its risks above. Mango is a tropical fruit that is renowned for its large concentration of nutrients as well as its delicious taste. The peel or outer skin is green before it completely ripens.

When mature, its skin turns shades of orange, red, or yellow-based on the mango type.

The dietary advantages of mango are very well known. It’s a great source of fiber, vitamins B6, E, C, and A, and copper and potassium minerals.

Mangos contain numerous biologically active compounds, like antioxidants from carotenoids and polyphenols.

The peel is extremely nutritious, as is the substance of the mango fruit. Analysis reveals that carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin E, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and other healthy nutrients are packed into the mango skin.

There are reduced cognitive decline chances, some cancers, and heart failure for people who eat foods rich in carotenoids, polyphenols, and vitamin C.

One experiment showed that extract from the mango fruit’s skin had greater antioxidant and anticancer properties than the extract from the mango flesh.

Still wondering what to do with mango skin?

In addition, triterpenoids and triterpenes, substances that have proven antidiabetic and anticancer attributes, are abundant in mangoes’ skins.

The mango skin is also filled with fiber, a necessary substance for appetite and gastrointestinal health control.

Fiber constitutes about 45-78 percent of the mango skin’s overall mass.

The mango skin is abundant in resveratrol, norathyriol, and mangiferin, potent antioxidants that may offer defense against diseases such as cancer, while it can also cause issues for individuals that are urushiol-sensitive.

Can I Eat The Skin of A Mango Conclusion

Mangoes contain a high amount of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin A, particularly if you consume the skin. Oklahoma State University’s 2008 research demonstrates that consuming mangoes could help regulate blood cholesterol and sugar and decrease fat mass.

The researchers noted that consuming mangoes lowers concentrations of the leptin hormone, a compound that influences hunger and helps balance energy storage and consumption. 

The other health risk that you can suffer from by consuming mango skin is due to their prior exposure to insecticides.

A fruit’s skin is typically sprayed because most people the world over love to eat their fruits without their skins.

If eating the skin of fruits is your thing, then it is best for you to go for organic fruits. Else, ensure that you thoroughly have the fruit washed before consuming it to curtail the consumption of unwanted and often dangerous amounts of pesticides.

So, can I eat the skin of a mango?’ Yes, but now you know its risks and benefits.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here