Bush mango seed is edible, and may be eaten raw or roasted. African people used to call this seed “dika nut” or “ogbono nut”, likely because bush mango seed’s shape resembles that of a nut, and for that reason the experts classified bush mango seed as a grain. Many have incorporated this seed to their daily snacks.
What most people don’t know about it, that actually bush mango seed has the potential to gives health benefits to any person who consume them, as reported by scientists. For those who have heart problem, this seed is more friendly than similar foods. It is also can be produced into oil, which in turn used to produce soap or cosmetics, or used in cooking (the oil is edible). It is also used to add thickness to some foods, such as soup and stews. (See also : Health Benefits of Taking Magnesium at Night)
Now, let’s take a look at the health benefits of bush mango seed :
Nutritional Value of Bush Mango Seed
Nutritionists have tested and studied a sample of bush mango seed in their laboratory, and they found that 100 g serving size of bush mango seed contains 697 kJ energy, various nutrients and dietary fibers including 67 g of fat, 15 g Carbohydrates, 8.5 g Protein, 4 g Water, 120 mg Calcium, 2.4 mg Iron, some fatty acids such as myristic acid (30-70%), lauric acid (20-59%), oleic acid (1-11%), palmitic acid (at about 2%), and stearic acid (1%).
Interesting enough, the chemical composition of bush mango seed is quite similar (except for some nutrients exclusive to the fruit) and overall higher in value when compared to the fruit itself.
So, without further ado, these are health benefits of bush mango seed :
1. It helps you in weight loss
Let’s start with the famous one. Bush mango fruit’s first discovered health benefit was its potential to control weight. It was started when a food supplements under the name “African mango” are distributed to market for management of weight.
Since that time, medical experts have been trying to prove the validity of this claim. Whether the bush mango seed is useful in controlling weight or not is still up to debate. But, the meta-analysis said it is safe to be added into diet plan for weight loss. (Recommended for You: Health Benefits Bread Butter Jam)
2. It greatly boosts your energy
Another amazing health benefits of bush mango seed you can get by simply eating it. Based on nutrition facts, bush mango seed contains a decent amount of energy at 697 calories.
This huge amount makes it one of nuts with highest calories, albeit still far fewer than more common nuts, such as peanut, and perhaps, hazelnut. A food with high amount of energy, even if just a seed, can be useful sometimes when you feel out of energy and need to survive.
3. It’s a really good source of calcium
When we are talking about calcium, first thing comes to mind is usually diary products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. This is true for most people. But, you should not overlook other sources of your daily calcium, especially bush mango seed.
The value of calcium provided by this nut stand out at 120 mg per 100 g serving size, a lot more than most types of nuts (only beaten by almond). This makes bush mango seed as one of the best source of calcium. Imagine, the amount of calcium you can get just by eating this seed.
4. It improves the body metabolism
According to scientists’ report, bush mango seed is capable of accelerating the process of metabolism. This is due to the fact that it contains healthy fat and essential protein needed for calorie burning.
It means, bush mango seed helps you from overeating by prolonging the feeling of fullness. A good metabolism is always a good sign of health. (Also read : Health Benefits of Poppy Seeds)
5. It helps reduce the risk of diabetes
Yet another one of the “overlooked by public” health benefits of bush mango seed. It’s crazy how a tiny seed can gives you so many benefit, one of them is its ability to reduce the risk of diabetes. Based on scientific researches, bush mango seed barely contain saturated and trans fat, and almost no sugar.
So, from this founding, nutritionist declare that eating bush mango seed has no risk of having diabetes at all. Also, it has certain properties that can control the level of blood sugar. To sum up it all, bush mango seed can safely consumed by diabetic person. (You may want to read : Benefits of Working Evening Shift for Health)
6. It can boost your mood
The research says, eating bush mango seed can help reduce your stress and is known to boost one’s mood. This is mainly due to amount of a hormone called serotonin in the brain (a hormone that gives you happy feeling), is greatly boosted by tryptophan.
If you don’t know what tryptophan is, here is quick description : tryptophan is one of amino acids which formed protein. Now, it makes sense why bush mango seed can boost your mood, it’s because tryptophan. (You may want to read : Health Benefits of Poppy Seeds )
7. It contains low cholesterol
Now, it must be known that it’s not a perfect writing of bush mango seed without talking about its cholesterol level. Actually, consumers don’t have to worry about that matter when using this seed (it is used to make edible oil, which can be used as cooking material, hence why this point brought up).
According to analysis by nutrionists, bush mango seed has lower cholesterol composition compared to other nuts. So, it’s quite safe for those with heart problem, as long as it’s under doctor supervision. (See also : Health Benefits of Rudraksha Beads)
Based on some sources, bush mango seed is still not recommended to be a weight control food. It’s because the required data of specific species is still limited, thus the food consultants cannot recommend this food yet.