Incorporating these fruits into meals does not require a complicated eating plan. Their contrasting flavors and textures make them useful ingredients in salads, smoothies, and grain bowls.

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Scientists discover surprising heart benefits of eating avocado and mango every day

Eating an avocado and a cup of mango every day may provide surprising benefits for heart health, according to a new study involving adults with prediabetes. After just eight weeks, participants experienced significant improvements in blood vessel function and diastolic blood pressure, particularly among men. These benefits occurred without weight gain or changes in calorie intake, suggesting that the nutrient-rich combination could support cardiovascular health through a simple dietary adjustment.

Researchers at Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) investigated the effects of an Avocado-Mango (AM) diet that included one medium Hass avocado and one cup of fresh mango each day. Participants followed this eating plan for eight weeks, while a comparison group consumed a similar diet in which the fruits were replaced with carbohydrate-based foods containing equivalent calories.

Mango and Avocado Improve Blood Vessel Function

One of the clearest improvements involved the ability of blood vessels to expand as blood flows through them. This flexibility helps maintain healthy circulation and is an important indicator of cardiovascular health.

To evaluate this response, researchers measured flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a commonly used test of endothelial function (blood vessel health). The endothelium is the thin layer of cells lining the inside of blood vessels, where it helps regulate circulation and the widening and narrowing of arteries.

Among participants eating avocado and mango, the measurement increased significantly to 6.7%. In contrast, it declined to 4.6% in the control group. The difference suggests that regularly consuming these fruits may help blood vessels function more effectively.

Blood pressure measurements also showed encouraging changes, especially among male participants. Men in the control group experienced an average increase of 5 points (mmHg) in central blood pressure, while those consuming avocado and mango saw a reduction of approximately 1.9 points.

Although mango and avocado have very different flavors and nutritional profiles, they provide complementary nutrients that support several aspects of cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Mango provides dietary fiber (2g/serving, 7% DV, Mango serving size: ¾ cup) and is an excellent source of vitamin C (50% DV). Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage, while fiber contributes to healthy digestion and may help with blood sugar regulation, weight management, and cardiovascular wellness.

Avocado offers another combination of potentially beneficial nutrients. It contains fiber (3g/serving, 11% DV, Avocado serving size: 50 g (1/3 of a medium avocado)), which plays a role in managing cholesterol, blood sugar, and body weight.

It also supplies unsaturated fats (6g unsaturated fats), which can support heart health by helping reduce LDL cholesterol, often called bad cholesterol, when they replace less healthy fats in the diet. Additionally, avocado contains potassium (250mg, 6% DV), a mineral involved in regulating blood pressure.

By providing fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, and potassium, mango and avocado offer a convenient way to increase the nutritional value of everyday meals. However, the study did not establish whether eating the two fruits together provides greater benefits than consuming either fruit separately.

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Scientists discover surprising heart benefits of eating avocado and mango every day | ScienceDaily