Can You Eat The Skin Of A Mango?

The peel of the mango is the protective layer of the fruit that protects the soft inside which is the main part that people eat.

Most people just tend to eat around the mango peel to get to the juicy flesh, but they do not realize how good the peel actually is for you.

Can you eat the skin of a Mango?

How much do we really know about any type of fruit peel? It is not common for most people to be regularly eating it in their daily routine and here is why.

This guide will be going through all of the benefits of eating the mango peel and why it is so good for you.

It will be looking at the real value of peel which people just discard instead of taking advantage of the goodness inside it.

The Nutritious Benefits

Mangos are known as a tropical fruit (You might want to check out an article about dragon fruits here) with a delicious flesh inside and you when it is ripe because the skin of the mango will first turn green and then yellow.

If you are looking to start eating more food with nutritional value, this is a great option to start with because it is very high in fiber and all vitamins.

The skin also has more nutritional value than the flesh part of the fruit but it is usually the texture that tends to put people off.

Plant compounds

  • polyphenol
  • carotenoid
  • Antioxidants

The skin of the mango is also full of high triterpenes and triterpenoids which have been tested against anticancer and antidiabetic.

Due to the fact that it is full of fiber, it means it is also a great source of help for digestion.

It helps to circulate your hunger at a healthy rate instead of having food weighing you down and digesting slowly.

Any Potential Issues?

Even though this fruit peel has some amazing benefits from its nutrition and levels of fiber, it also carries risks for some people too.

eat the skin of a Mango

The peel of the mango contains a bit of urushiol which can be found in poison ivy. In some cases, this can cause an allergic reaction.

Some people might be allergic to urushiol based plants without even knowing.

The symptoms of a reaction are not going to kill you but it can make your skin quite itchy and may cause some swelling in certain areas.

The skin has a peculiar texture which some people tend to find a bit too hard to eat. This is why most people enjoy eating the soft inside of the fruit instead because it has a much nicer taste.

When people have the choice to have a lovely, soft and sweet part of the fruit or the hard, chewy and bitter part, most choose the nicer part.

However, people do not tend to realize the benefits this peel does have, but they need to check what they are allergic to first.

Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks?

Even though it has lots of nutritious benefits, you are also able to find those kinds of benefits in other fruits and vegetables.

Therefore, you wouldn’t have to worry about eating the bitter skin which is difficult to chew. You are able to find something else to eat that matches those benefits.

If you are looking to try the mango skin then here are a few ways you can do it:

Eating The Peel

There are many different ways that you can eat the mango peel and one being the most obvious way of just biting straight into the mango with its skin on.

A more popular way of consuming the whole mango is by making it into a lovely smoothie. This way, it actually allows the taste of the skin to be covered over by the rest of the flesh of the fruit.

You are also able to add a mix of different fruit to the smoothie, so it has a wide range of different benefits all added together.

You need to make sure you are washing all of the fruit before using it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Skin Edible On A Mango?

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.

What Fruit Skin Is Poisonous?

Mangoes. Just like raw cashews, the skin, bark, and leaves of mangoes contain urushiol, the toxin in poison ivy.

If you’re allergic to poison ivy, especially if that allergy is a bad one, biting into a mango can cause a severe reaction with swelling, rash, and even problems breathing.

Conclusion

Overall, not many people even take two seconds to think about something like mango peel but it could be a good addition to your smoothie in the morning.

Even though there are similar nutritional benefits in other fruit and veg, this is still an option for some extra fiber without really knowing it is in there.

There are some factors that you need to consider before eating the peel such as, any reactions you could have to it if you are allergic.

You need to be careful when it comes to eating the skin (You might also be interested in checking out if Can You Eat Kiwi Skin?)as the risks can be unpleasant.

Hopefully this guide has answered the question of whether you are able to eat mango skin or not and how good it is for you.

You also need to look at the different ways you are able to consume it as well as see if it is worth the chewy, bitter taste.

Some might actually quite like the texture and taste, but it is just not for everyone.

Therefore, if you are ever looking to try a bit of mango peel, check your allergies, wash your fruit and add it in with other fruit if you’re not overly keen on the taste.

Jeff Pratt
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