The Real Reason You Shouldn't Eat Mangoes

It's easy to think everything Mother Nature wills into existence is good for us and, for the most part, that's true. Fruits and vegetables are good! They're healthy, tasty, and full of vitamins. There are some sleepers in the bunch, though, that can sneak up and wreck your diet if you're not careful. 

Mangoes, we're lookin' at you. According to Very Well Fit, one cup of sliced mangoes has 99 calories and 23 grams of sugar. They are virtually fat-free and are very high in vitamin C, but if you're watching your weight, those calories and sugars just aren't doing you any favors. If you're a die-hard mango fan and can't get enough of that flavor, you might think of mangoes more in the dessert realm, or as the condiment with the controversial past (mango chutney) than as part of your everyday fruit intake.

There are plenty of alternatives to mangoes if you're looking to up your fruit game, many of which can provide a good supply of vitamins and minerals, aid in heart health, and even reduce gastrointestinal upset. Apples, blueberries, pineapples, and kiwi all possess healthy qualities and don't have a ton of carbs, calories, and sugar. Healthline notes that grapefruit is the best fruit to eat for weight loss, followed by apples, berries, and stone fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, and apricots. 

Healthline explains stone fruits are a more nutrient-dense option and will give you more of that satisfied "full" feeling than traditional snacks, like chips and cookies. Mangoes are stone fruits, you say! While that is true, mango's fuzzy cousins contain far fewer calories and grams of sugar. One apricot contains a measly 17 calories and only 3.2 grams of sugar (via Very Well Fit). 

Don't deny yourself this juicy, tropical treat all the time though. Mangoes were born to blend up in ice-cold smoothies, along with some of those less sugary, less caloric fruits for a well-balanced treat. Mangoes play the starring role next to yogurt and milk in the delicious Indian drink, the mango lassi (via The Wanderlust Kitchen), and also make a pretty irresistible salsa to serve alongside a piece of grilled chicken. 

But, let's say you've never had mango before and are curious about what they actually taste like. A prowl around the internet will reveal descriptions that read like wine tasting notes. My Food Job Rocks declares mangoes taste like pine and evergreen with sweet, floral, terpene-y flavors. Hmmmm. Thrive Cuisine describes a range of floral and citrusy flavors. That all sounds fine and probably accurate for most. 

If you're unlucky, though, you may experience the flavor of mangoes as... sorry to say it... fishy. Similar to the way some people think cilantro tastes like soap, some folks (evidenced by multiple threads online), sometimes taste mangoes as unpleasantly fishy. Strange but true, and if this is you, perhaps it's one more good reason you shouldn't eat mangoes.