New study: Daily mango intake may support postmenopausal heart and metabolic health

(Press-News.org) ORLANDO, Fla., June 3, 2025 – Each year, 1.3 million women enter menopause—a life stage during which heart disease risk rises significantly. Nearly half of American women are affected by cardiovascular disease, and since women spend up to 40% of their lives postmenopausal, managing heart health is especially important. A new study published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association found that eating about two servings of mangos daily for two weeks (330 g, about 1.5 cups) significantly reduced several short-term blood pressure measures as well as fasting total and LDL cholesterol in healthy postmenopausal women.

 

Conducted by researchers at University of California, Davis, the study showed measurable improvements in key heart health markers. Two hours after eating mangos, participants’ supine systolic blood pressure dropped by about 6 points (6.3 mmHG), and there was a 2.3 mmHG reduction in mean arterial pressure. Moreover, consuming mangos every day for two weeks reduced total cholesterol by nearly 13 points (12.9 mg/dl), and LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol dropped by about 13 points (12.6 mg/dl).

 

“Post-menopausal women face distinct metabolic changes that can impact their risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD),” says Roberta Holt, Associate Researcher, University of California, Davis, and co-author of the study. “These findings help to identify targeted dietary strategies, like eating fresh mangos daily, to aid this at-risk population and support cardiovascular wellness and potential reductions in chronic disease risk.”

 

The study involved 24 generally healthy women ages 50–70 with overweight or obesity (BMI 25–40). Before the study began, researchers asked participants to refrain from eating mangos, with consumption beginning at the second visit. Over two weeks, participants attended three lab visits spaced at least 48 hours apart. At visit one, researchers collected baseline measurements including body metrics, blood pressure, and fasting cholesterol, with follow-up testing at one and two hours. Mango consumption began during visit two, using the same testing schedule.  Participants then ate 330 g of mangos daily—split into morning and evening servings—until visit three, which repeated the testing protocol.

 

“Risk factors like high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol are key contributors to cardiovascular disease, but a nutrient-rich diet that includes fresh fruit, like mango, has long been shown to help reduce those risks,” says Dr. Holt. “This study shows that even short-term changes—like eating fresh mangos daily—can make a measurable impact on chronic disease risk in certain populations.”

 

A smaller follow-up study with six participants from the initial study, were invited to further explore mangos’ effects on glucose metabolism. In three lab visits, participants first underwent baseline blood glucose testing. On the second visit, they consumed 330 g of mango, with testing at one and two hours. On the third visit, they consumed 83 g of white bread instead. Blood sugar levels rose significantly less after eating mango than after eating white bread. Insulin levels also responded more favorably to mango, peaking and declining quickly, while remaining elevated two hours after eating white bread.

 

“These results build on growing evidence that mangos may support both cardiovascular and metabolic health,” says Dr. Holt. “For postmenopausal women—and for many Americans concerned with cardiometabolic health—mangos offer a naturally sweet, nutrient-dense way to improve cardiovascular outcomes and reduce added sugar while promoting overall wellness.”

 

Nutrient-dense fruits like mangos can play a meaningful role in supporting cardiovascular and metabolic health, particularly for postmenopausal women. While additional research is needed to further support the effects of mango consumption on heart and metabolic health, regular mango consumption may offer simple, natural benefits for managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar during this life stage. To learn more, visit Mango.org.

 

This study was supported through an unrestricted grant from the National Mango Board (NMB). NMB had no influence over the study or its findings. 

 

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About University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

Since the beginning, we’ve outgrown expectations. Established in 1908 as a university farm, UC Davis has continually branched out, challenged the way things are done, and gained recognition for solving complex problems related to health, environment, culture and society. UC Davis is among the most comprehensive campuses in the University of California system, with four colleges and six professional schools that offer over 100 undergraduate majors and more than 100 graduate and professional degrees. UC Davis enrolls about 40,000 students from over 110 countries and contributes at least $12 billion to the California economy each year. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the university exceeded $1 billion in research funding for the third consecutive year, cementing its reputation as a tier one research university.

 

About National Mango Board

The National Mango Board is an agricultural research and promotion program funded by the mango industry, and an instrumentality of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Board's vision is "for mangos to be an on-going part of every American's diet based on versatility, taste and nutritional benefits, enabling mangos to move toward being a top 10 valued whole fruit in the U.S. market by 2030."  One serving, or ¾ cup of the superfruit mango contains 70 calories, 50 percent of daily value of vitamin C, 15 percent of daily value of folate, 15 percent of daily value of copper, eight percent daily value of vitamin A, eight percent daily value of vitamin B6, seven percent of daily value of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor. Learn more at Mango.org. 

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