The Next Super-fruit: Is May the Month of the Mango?

My Magic 8 Ball tells me mango fruit is about to become the next acai berry, the next pomegranate juice, the next coconut water. Lately several food science and nutrition journals have been reporting the health benefits of this tropical fruit, so it's only a matter of time before popular media catches on. Some call this sudden interest a fad but, regardless, I think anything that gets people excited about eating fruits and vegetables is a good thing.

To truly reap the benefits of this potential phenomenon, look out for these traps:


Trap #1: With any super-fruit, keep in mind that the health benefits discovered in scientific studies  relate to the fruit itself. 
Remember that study that labeled popcorn a healthy snack? That study did NOT involve "Butter Lovers" or "Cheese Explosion" popcorn. When blueberries were touted for their superb content of antioxidants, blueberry muffins went flying off the shelves. There's also the (short-lived) boost in sales for pomegranate flavored vodka after pomegranate was labeled a super-fruit. 
 
Mango Tip #1: Eat a REAL mango.
Mango fruit does offer real health benefits, (as this article discusses: Mango is good for reducing inflammation and for controlling blood sugar ) but eating dried mangoes does not give one the same benefits. Remember when the Center for Science in the Public Interest publicly scolded the Girl Scouts of America for their new Mango Creme Nutri-Fusion cookies? (If you don't, read it here: CSPI awards Badge of Shame to Girl Scouts of America) Granted, the mango cookie was not made with real mangoes and mangoes aren't even part of the "whole food concentrate powder" on the label. Still, are there that many people that actually fall for any claim that eating a Girl Scout cookie is as healthy as eating the real fruit? I'd like to think we know better, we just like eating cookies.

Trap #2: With any super-fruit, the easier it is to consume, the more likely people will consume it. 
Have you ever tried to cut a mango? It's quite the challenge. Even if the most famous daytime TV doctor endorsed mangoes as a miracle fruit, one wonders how many people would be detered by the sheer act of trying to cut the darn thing open.  It was easy for people to hop on the Cranberry Juice wagon because the hardest part is finding a product that's 100% (CRANBERRY) juice.

Mango Tip #2: There is no shame to turning to YouTube to learn how to eat a fruit. 
There are instructional videos  *HERE* (from Mango.org) and *HERE* (from an amazing chef on YouTube) 

Trap #3: With any super-fruit, the health benefits are subject to availability. 
In other words, if you decide to try a mango for the first time in January, your first impression of your New Favorite Fruit could be drastically different than if you'd bought the fruit in May. Any time you're trying a new fruit, you should try to buy it when it's in season to get the best sense of how much you like it. I can't speak for anyone else but I find Cuties not-so cute and delicious in December.

Mango Tip #3: Know when it grows.
There's a phenomenal overview of the different mangoes commonly found in grocery stores, how to tell them apart and when each type is in season *HERE* (It's a Yahoo Answer page).
I've included a synopsis of the mango seasons below:

"You can usually find good mangoes on the market from January through September. The poorest time is toward the end of the year - November and December. Mangoes are good early in the season, but like oranges, they're at the peak of flavor toward the end of the season.

* Mexican mangoes: Peak season begins in late March and lasts through September
* Florida mangoes: May through September
* Haitian mangoes: January through September
* Brazilian mangoes:September through January"


BOTTOM LINE:

Mangoes are delicious and nutritious, and knowing how to navigate these common super-fruit traps will help you reap the benefits of these a-peel-ing tropical fruits.  

Never Argue With A Drunk Or A Fool

They say, “don’t cry over spilled milk” but I’ve never been told not to stand up in defense of it. Do I believe it’s possible to have a healthy diet that does not include milk – yes. Do I believe it’s possible to have a healthy diet that does include milk – YES!

This morning as I was leaving the gym I overheard an exercise instructor telling her clients that they should cut out milk entirely because “it’s just so bad for you” and “we’re the only species that drinks milk from another animal”. To be fair, she prefaced her advice with “I know nutritionists would disagree with me but…”. Isn’t that like prefacing an insult with “No offense but…”?

Overhearing her spew this information she got from who-knows-where, I could hardly contain my desire to speak up. I had to grit my teeth and clench my fists before walking away, not out of anger but out of a desire to contribute to the conversation, to offer my insight. It was not my place to jump into the conversation occurring right beside my locker, but at what point to we ignore conversational etiquette to stand up for what we believe in?

Like Meg Ryan's character in You’ve Got Mail, I think of what I’d like to say only after the moment has passed. If I could go back to that moment, this is what I’d say:

If you really want to help your clients, teach them how to make smart decisions for their lifestyle, teach them about portion control and moderation, teach them how to recognize and handle emotional eating—three things considerably more effective at achieving long term health than telling them to exclude entire groups of food.

I rest my case. 

DUH-Alert: New study shows 'chugging' 1-3 cans of energy drinks is bad for your heart

Research presented to the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions indicates that energy drinks increase blood pressure and disturb the heart's rhythm.

(read the "breaking news' here)

PROBLEM: "researchers checked the QT interval of 93 people who had just chugged one to three cans of energy drinks."

 Once more, the bottom line from the press is "energy drinks are dangerous" instead of "Why the heck are you CHUGGING this product?" and "Don't 'CHUG' even one can of a caffeinated product, let alone three."

We don't 'chug' coffee, do we? It's hot, therefore we typically sip it. Furthermore, how many people have ever ordered three grande coffees just for themselves? How many of those people thought it was a good idea to consume all three grande coffees in less than 5 minutes? That would be weird, right?

I think it's pretty uncommon for people to 'chug' coffee or to consume multiples in a rapid succession, but it's not uncommon for energy drinks. Why isn't this difference in consumption practices being highlighted in the press? If you really want to help someone, News Media, how about reminding them that it's not a good idea to consume anything caffeinated in a short period of time. Caffeine takes at least 20 minutes to get to the brain so there's NO WAY, NO HOW you'd feel it the second you swallow it. I get that there's a Placebo Effect but still, it's not tequila.

I don't deny that energy drinks can be hazardous for certain groups of people (people on certain medications, those who are pregnant, nursing or under the age of ~18...you know who you are). However, I think the biggest problem regarding energy drink safety is the lack of education toward how to drink the product. It doesn't seem like rocket-science but for some reason people are consuming energy drinks differently than they would a soda or a cup of coffee. WHY?