Mangos are a delicious fruit. Usually, you eat them peeled, but the peels of many fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and phytochemicals. If you’re used to eating the peels of fruit like apples or pears, you may wonder if the skin of mango provides the same type of benefits.
Is it Safe to Eat Mango Peels?
Mangos are a delicious fruit. Usually, you eat them peeled, but the peels of many fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and phytochemicals. If you’re used to eating the peels of fruit like apples or pears, you may wonder if the skin of mango provides the same type of benefits.
Mango Nutrients
Mangos are a good source of the following nutrients:
Mangos also contain many other vitamins and plant compounds that have a link to positive health outcomes. Eating mango peels may:
Help prevent or fight cancer. Mango peels contain mangiferin, norathyriol, and resveratrol, which are powerful antioxidants that may help prevent or fight cancers including lung, colon, breast, brain, and spinal cord cancers. Mango peels also contain triterpenes and triterpenoids, which are plant compounds that help fight cancer and diabetes.
One study found that extracts from mango peels contained stronger antioxidant and anticancer properties than the fruit itself.
Help with weight loss. Research conducted by the University of Queensland School of Pharmacy showed that mango peel extract reduced fat cell formation. If you want this effect, though, it’s important to pick the right variety. Nam Doc Mai and Irwin varieties scored well in disrupting fat, but Kensington Pride had the opposite effect.
Help prevent heart disease. Orange fruits like mango are rich in beta cryptothanxin, which is a phytonutrient, a nutrient found in plants. This phytonutrient supports communication between your cells and may help prevent heart disease.
The high fiber content in mango peels may also help prevent heart disease. A Harvard study of over 40,000 men found that those who ate a high-fiber diet had a 40% lower risk of heart disease. Another study of female nurses had similar results.
Reduce the risk of diverticular disease.Diverticulitis, which is an inflammation of the intestines, is one of the most common age-related diseases. Eating foods high in fiber, such as mango peel, is associated with a 40% lower risk of developing diverticular disease.
Possible Concerns About Mango Peels
Taste. On their own, mango peels are tough and bitter. If you want to eat them, it may either take some getting used to or some preparation to disguise the taste.
Allergic sensitivity. Mango peels contain urushiol, the same compound that is in poison ivy and poison oak. Some people are sensitive enough to urushiol that they develop a skin rash from handling mangos. In people who are very sensitive to urushiol, mango peels can cause contact dermatitis or difficulty breathing, making it unsafe to eat the peel.
Pesticide exposure. Another safety concern with eating mango peel is pesticide exposure. Pesticide exposure has been linked to endocrine system disruption, reproductive problems, and an increased risk of certain cancers. If you want to eat mango peel, opt for organic fruit. If you can’t do that, make sure to wash the fruit to minimize pesticide exposure.
How to Prepare Mango Peels
Mango peels are usually safe to eat on their own, but can be unpleasant to eat raw. One way to extract some of the nutrients from the mango skin is to make mango peel syrup. Combine a pound of mango pits and peels, a quartered lemon or lime, and a half-pound of sugar. Let sit between 4 hours and overnight until the sugar liquifies. Drain and squeeze the pulp and bottle the syrup.
Another way to enjoy mango peel without the added sugar is by dehydrating them. Mix the peel with spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, and salt. Dehydrate the peel at 135 degrees F until they’re crispy.
Show Sources
SOURCES:
American College of Asthma, Allergy, & Immunology: “Can Reaction to Poison Ivy Cause Mango Allergy?”
Chef’s Roll: “Mango Skin Chips.”
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: “A Review on Ethnopharmacological Applications, Pharmacological Activities, and Bioactive Compounds of Mangifera indica (Mango).”
Food Chemistry: “Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of mango (Mangifera indica L.) flesh and peel.”
Frontiers in Public Health: “Chemical Pesticides and Human Health: The Urgent Need for a New Concept in Agriculture.”
Harvard Health Blog: “Phytonutrients: Paint your plate with the colors of the rainbow.”
The Journal of Food Science and Technology: “In vitro physicochemical, phytochemical and functional properties of fiber rich fractions derived from by-products of six fruits.”
Lipids in Health and Disease: “Mangiferin: a natural miracle bioactive compound against lifestyle related disorders.”
Nutrition Value: “Mangos, raw”
The Nutrition Source: “Fiber.”
Serious Eats: “Save Mango Pits and Peels for This Delicious No-Cook Syrup.”
Can You Eat Mango Skin?
The skin, peel or rind of fruits and vegetables acts as a protective covering for the softer, more delicate flesh inside.
Though often discarded, the majority of these peels are edible and packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals and powerful plant compounds.
Mango is a popular fruit whose skin is commonly removed and thrown away before eating.
Some people argue that mango skin — which is highly nutritious — should be consumed instead of tossed.
This article explores the value of eating mango skin.
Mango (Mangifera indica) is a tropical fruit celebrated for its sweet taste and high nutrient content.
Until the fruit fully ripens, the outer skin or peel is green.
When ripe, the skin turns shades of yellow, red or orange, depending on the type of mango.
The nutritional benefits of mango are well established. It’s an excellent source of fiber, vitamins A, C, E and B6, as well as the minerals potassium and copper (1).
Mangos also contain various plant compounds, including polyphenol and carotenoid antioxidants.
Like the flesh of the mango fruit, the skin is highly nutritious.
Research shows that mango skin is loaded with polyphenols, carotenoids, dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E and various beneficial plant compounds ( 2 ).
People who consume diets high in vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids have lower risks of heart disease, certain cancers and cognitive decline ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ).
One test-tube study found that mango skin extract exhibited stronger antioxidant and anticancer properties than mango flesh extract (8).
Additionally, the skins of these sweet fruits are high in triterpenes and triterpenoids — compounds that have demonstrated anticancer and antidiabetic qualities ( 9 , 10 ).
The skin is also packed with fiber, which is important for digestive health and regulating hunger.
In fact, fiber makes up 45–78% of the total weight of the mango peel (11).
Summary
Mango skins are highly nutritious and loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and fiber.
Though mango skin boasts a significant number of nutrients, it also carries risks.
May Cause an Allergic Reaction
Mango skin contains urushiol, a cocktail of organic chemicals also found in poison ivy and poison oak ( 12 ).
Urushiol can promote an allergic response in some people, especially those with sensitivities to poison ivy and other urushiol-heavy plants.
Be aware that consuming mango skin may cause an itchy rash and swelling of your skin ( 13 ).
May Contain Pesticide Residue
Many fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides to fight bacterial infection and insects that may damage crops ( 14 ).
While peeling off mango skin decreases consumption of these potentially harmful chemicals, eating the skin increases consumption ( 15 ).
Research links pesticide exposure to negative health effects, such as endocrine system disruption, reproductive problems and increased risk of certain cancers ( 16 ).
Keep in mind that these effects are primarily associated with high, routine pesticide exposure, not the small amounts ingested from eating fruit skin.
Has an Unpleasant Texture and Taste
Though mango fruit is sweet, soft and pleasant to eat, the texture and taste of mango skin might seem unappetizing.
It’s relatively thick, difficult to chew and slightly bitter in taste.
Despite its nutritional benefits, the fibrous texture and unappealing taste of mango skin may turn you off.
Summary
Mango skin contains urushiol, a mixture of compounds that can cause allergic reactions. The skin also has an unappealing taste and may harbor pesticides.
That mango skin is edible and packed with important nutrients and powerful plant compounds has been established.
Yet, you may wonder if the potential benefits outweigh the drawbacks outlined above, such as the tough texture, bitter taste and potential pesticide residues or allergic reactions.
In truth, the same nutrients in mango skin exist in many other fruits and vegetables, so it’s not necessary to endure the unpleasant taste of mango skin to reap its potential health benefits.
Summary
Consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can provide the same nutritional benefits as eating mango skin.
If you want to try mango skin, there are a few ways to eat it.
The easiest way is to simply consume mangoes the way you would an apple, pear or peach, biting into the fruit without removing the skin.
To mask the slightly bitter taste, try tossing skin-on mango slices into your favorite smoothie. Blending mango skin in with other tasty ingredients is an excellent way to make it more palatable.
Whether slicing or eating whole, be sure to wash the skin thoroughly with water or a fruit and veggie cleaner to remove pesticide residue.
Summary
You can try eating mango like an apple, biting into the fruit without removing the skin. If you want to mask the skin’s bitter taste, try blending unpeeled mango slices into your favorite smoothie. Always be sure to wash your mango thoroughly.
Mango skin is edible and packed with nutrients like vitamins, fiber and antioxidants.
Though it may offer health benefits, it has an unpleasant taste, may preserve pesticide residues and contains compounds that may cause allergic reactions.
While eating mango skin is safe for most people, it’s unnecessary.
Simply consuming a diet high in whole foods — including fresh, colorful produce — will provide your body with all the nutrition it needs.
How we reviewed this article:
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
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