For millions of Indians living with diabetes, summer brings a familiar dilemma: can they safely enjoy mangoes, the country’s most beloved fruit?
Mumbai-based diabetologist Dr Rahul Baxi says it’s the most common question patients ask him. “Mangoes are irresistible, but people either fear them or believe, wrongly, that excess consumption might cure diabetes,” he explains. The truth, he says, lies in moderation.
New Indian studies now suggest mangoes may not be the dietary villain they were once thought to be.
A pilot study of 95 people, soon to appear in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that three popular mango varieties — Safeda, Dasheri and Langra — produced similar or even lower blood sugar spikes compared to white bread. Continuous glucose monitoring showed smaller post-meal sugar fluctuations in people with type 2 diabetes after eating mango, a potentially beneficial effect over time.
A second trial, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research and published in the Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders, tested 35 patients who replaced their breakfast bread with 250g of mango. Over eight weeks, participants recorded improvements in blood sugar control, insulin resistance, weight, waist circumference and even “good” cholesterol.
“These are the first detailed studies showing mangoes, in controlled amounts, can be part of a healthy diabetic diet,” says Prof Anoop Misra, who led the research. But he stresses: “This is not a licence for unlimited mango feasts.”
So what does moderation mean? One small mango — about 250g and 180 calories — can replace other carbs like bread. Dr Baxi advises his patients to enjoy half a mango once or twice a day, preferably between meals, and never as a sugary add-on like juice or milkshake. Pairing the fruit with protein or fibre further reduces glucose spikes.
Beyond its metabolic profile, mango remains deeply woven into India’s cultural and social fabric. More than 1,000 varieties are grown across the country, inspiring poetry, diplomacy and even heated regional rivalries over which is best.
From Ghalib’s description of the mango as “a sealed glass of honey” to its role in “mango diplomacy” between nations, the fruit has always carried symbolic weight. Temples, festivals and family traditions all celebrate its place in Indian life.
Now, science appears to be offering mango lovers an unexpected gift: reassurance that India’s “king of fruits” can still be savoured, even by those managing diabetes — so long as it is done wisely.