Mango rich in vitamins, no danger to kidney disease patients: nutritionist

It’s mango season, and many of us are happy to bite into a Taiwanese mango on a hot day. But rumors have appeared online, suggesting the golden fruit is bad for your health. Netizens have claimed that people with kidney problems should especially avoid the sweet fruit. But if that sounds like an old wive’s tale to you, that’s because it is. We spoke to a nutritionist to find out the truth. A Taiwanese mango is cut open, revealing a tempting, juicy fruit. It’s mango season, and many people finish up their meal with a mango for dessert, but did you know mango can also be good for your skin? Ou Nai-chia Nutritionist It’s extremely high in vitamin A. It has about 60 times more vitamin A than apples. Vitamin A can maintain integrity of the skin and avoid the aging or keratosis than can result from a vitamin A deficiency. It’s also rich in vitamin C which can help with the production of collagen, maintain the integrity of the skin, and serve as an anti-oxidant. But rumors are circulating online that mangoes are toxic. Some people say that kidney disease patients should be wary. Is it true? Chiang Shou-shan Nephrologist There’s a folk legend that mangoes are toxic and kidney patients must avoid them, but that’s completely groundless fiction. Mango is not high in phosphorous, and its potassium ions are limited. Eating fruit like mangoes has even been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and kidney complications for diabetes patients. So actually kidney patients can totally relax as they eat mangoes. Of course, moderation is key in all things. This nutritionist recommends eating one or two mangoes a day, max. If you’re eating more mango than the size of two fists in a single day, maybe it’s time to take a break.