Sweltering heat outside! If you are not licking on seasonal mangoes, you are missing out on so much.

“I still remember those days of summer holidays in my childhood where my father would bring in fresh hot mangoes (hot due to heat outside), and throw them all into a bucket of water for a few hours to let them cool. Everybody in the family would then sit together on the floor and relish the mangoes until the bucket is empty”, says Lavleen Kaur, a leading dietitian and clinical nutritionist, and founder of Diet Insight.

She then mentioned that neither of her family members got diabetes or gained extra body fat.

Also, back then, the following were different:

· Our lifestyles were not as sedentary as now

· Fruits and veggies went through minimal adulteration

· We did not depend on consuming processed and refined items in our daily diet

Benefits of consuming Mango:

· Vitamin A and C in a cup of mango a day is good for your eye health and improving immunity

· Helps break down protein content in the body and the fibre aids in digestion

· Acts as a cleansing agent, which makes it good for your skin and hair health

· The iron content in mango is a natural remedy for anaemic people. Also, women should eat mangoes to increase iron level and calcium content in their bodies.

Key takeaways:

· Mango has a low to moderate glycaemic index, eating mango in moderation will not increase your blood sugar level

· Best time to eat – empty stomach early morning or in between means; not with or right after meals

· Eat it with some nuts or seeds for added fiber, and it will help maintain your blood sugar levels

Can people with diabetes eat mangoes?

Yes, provided the above guidelines are adhered to.

Will mangoes cause me to gain weight?

Not if eaten in moderation. Excess of everything is bad.

So, this summer indulge in mangoes, but remember that moderation is the key.