Whether you’re looking for a new food item for your dinner table or to use in a cooking class, mango skin is a great choice. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s packed with antioxidants and anti-cancer properties. The best part is that it’s also rich in dietary fibre and has a long shelf life.
Antioxidants
Several studies have shown that mango peel contains powerful antioxidants. They can help fight free radicals, reduce inflammation, and protect the skin from sun damage. They can also reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Vitamin C, an important component of mango, is needed for the production of collagen, which is essential for skin elasticity. It also promotes eye health. It helps the body form blood vessels, muscle, and cartilage.
Vitamin A is also essential to the skin. It can lighten dark spots on the skin and can help diminish fine lines and wrinkles. In addition, it can also help minimize the appearance of spider veins. It also helps to keep skin hydrated.
Vitamin A has been known to increase collagen and can be helpful for people with acne. It can help to fight off the inflammation that occurs when acne flares up. It is also beneficial for people with rosacea.
Carotenoids are another important ingredient in mango. They are effective in fighting free radicals, which are associated with aging and many chronic diseases. They also lower the risk of cognitive decline, heart disease, and cancer.They can also promote a healthy immune system. They have anti-obesity properties.
Some varieties of mango have compounds that prevent fat cells from forming. They may be useful for people with arthritis, acne, and other inflammatory conditions.
In addition, mango peel contains nutrients that can protect the mango plant from the threats it faces. These include anthocyanins, triterpenoids, and phytochemicals. These phytochemicals are known to have anti-cancer and anti-obesity effects.
They can also reduce the risk of cervical and colon cancers. They are also known to have antidiabetic properties.
Dietary fibre
Besides containing fiber, mango skin is rich in vitamins, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds. They also have antioxidant properties. Moreover, their peels are used as dietary fibre in many food formulations.
The dietary fibre of mango peel has a high content of bound phenolic acids. Its composition of dietary fibre varies from forty-seven to seventy-two percent. These polyphenols are linked covalently with the dietary fibre components. This may be the reason for the beneficial effect of these fibers on health.
The soluble dietary fibre of mango peel contains total sugar and uronic acid. The glucose content increased during ripening, while the galactose content decreased. This may be due to pectic type polysaccharides or cell wall polysaccharides.
The insoluble dietary fibre of mango peel has a major neutral sugar, arabinose. This may be due to neutral arabinogalactan type polysaccharides. It is not known whether ferulic acid is found in the raw or ripe peel.
The soluble dietary fibres of the Raspuri mango varieties were analyzed. During ripening, the gallic and protocatechuic acids were identified as the major phenolic acids. The acetone extract of the peel contains the gallic, protocatechuic, gentisic and syringic acids. The uronic acid content was found to vary from six to eight percent. This may be due to the varietal differences.
The proximate composition of the dietary fibre was estimated by using dried mango peel powder. The mean value of three replicates was compared. The result was that the antioxidant activity of the mango peel dietary fibre was 3.4 times higher than the DL-a tocopherol. The chemometric PCA plots showed that the phytochemical properties of the peels were related to the moisture content.
Anti-cancer properties
Interestingly, mango skin has a long list of health benefits, including antioxidant properties, fiber content and the ability to aid in digestion. The peel also contains urushiol, a compound that promotes allergic reactions in some people.
In addition to these health benefits, it has been proven that mangoes can have a positive effect on human colon cancer cells. The pulp and extract of the fruit have demonstrated cytotoxic effects against tumor cells.
However, it is not the fruit that can help prevent cancer, but the peel. It is believed that mangoes contain several health-boosting compounds, including an antioxidant called zeaxanthin, which may have a protective effect on macular degeneration.
Mango’s health-promoting properties were recently investigated in a rodent study. The plant compound was found to have an effect on diabetes risk factors. Another health benefit was the ability of the extract to improve the efficiency of a known anti-cancer drug.
A promising antioxidant, mangiferin, has been isolated from higher plants. It has been reported to have anti-aging and antiviral properties. It is also able to chelate iron in Fenton-type reactions. Its concentrations were determined using RP-HPLC. The extract was stored at -20 degrees Celsius. The biomarker is in the form of a hydro-alcoholic extract of the peel.
Although mangiferin is a recent discovery, it has been shown to protect against several human cancer types. Its health-promoting properties include an ability to inhibit the proliferation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) isoforms. It has also been found to induce apoptosis in cultured human breast cancer cells. The fruit’s triterpenoid cousins have anticancer, antidiabetic, and antioxidant properties.
Mango peel extract was also found to be a promising candidate for a possible new treatment for colon cancer. The most notable health-boosting properties of the fruit were the antioxidant properties.
Pesticides
Whether you’re eating a mango or a strawberry, the skin of the fruit is likely to be treated with pesticides. Although the peel of a fruit is edible, it can contain residues of pesticides, causing allergic reactions in some people.
If you’re interested in eating mangoes, it’s best to buy organic varieties. These fruits are less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than unprocessed produce, but there’s no guarantee.
The skin of a mango contains urushiol, an active chemical found in poison ivy. The compound can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals, resulting in itchy rashes and inflammation of the skin. Those who are sensitive to urushiol can have a more serious reaction, such as skin rash or breathing difficulties.
In addition to urushiol, the skin of a mango contains other compounds, such as triterpenoids. These plant substances have been shown to have anticancer properties and reduce oxidative stress. Moreover, the skin of a mango is rich in fiber. This makes it a nutritious food.
However, eating mango skin could also cause adverse health effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort and allergies. For this reason, many people remove the skin before consuming the fruit.
Some studies link the use of pesticides to negative health effects, including increased risk of certain cancers and endocrine system disruptions. These effects are linked to frequent or long-term exposure.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit group that has devoted a decade to banning chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to brain damage in children. In its latest Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, EWG analyzed 44,702 samples taken by the FDA. It also ranked the presence of pesticides on 46 popular fruits and vegetables.
Shelf life
Various edible coatings can be used to extend shelf life of mango fruit. Edible coating materials can also reduce the amount of decay. Moreover, the quality of mango fruit can be maintained.
This study investigated the effect of edible coatings on two varieties of mango. A total of three replications were performed for each treatment. The effect of edible coatings on quality attributes was compared with control treatments.
Beeswax and chitosan were used at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.5 % and 2%. These coatings were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the development of pathogenic populations. The results showed that beeswax and chitosan coatings were able to prolong the shelf life of mango fruits. The highest value was achieved with a 2% concentration of beeswax and chitosan.
The chitosan and beeswax coatings exhibited the least disease incidence at the end of storage. They also showed the minimum change in the rate of titratable acidity. In addition, the chitosan coating delayed the ripening process of mangoes.
Despite the positive effects of edible coatings, some limitations were observed. The pH of the fruit decreased by the application of chitosan and beeswax. In addition, some o-quinones in mango fruit were converted to diphenols. These findings may not reflect the actual influence of the coating on the mango’s quality attributes.
Edible coatings may also help in reducing the loss of juiciness and firmness of the fruit. This is because polysaccharides in ECs act as a natural barrier to external gas exchange. In addition, neem oil has antimicrobial activity against spoilage bacteria. This may help in reducing oxidative stress and loss of cell compactness of mangoes.
This study suggests that edible coatings can be an alternative to conventional preservation methods. They can also improve the organoleptic characteristics of the fruit.