The health benefits of combining mango and avocado daily

A new study suggests that adding an avocado and a cup of mango to the daily diet can help improve key indicators of cardiovascular healthas published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Adults with prediabetes who tried this combination daily for eight weeks experienced improvements in vascular function and diastolic blood pressuretwo important indicators of cardiovascular well-being.

Conducted by researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), in the United States, the study asked adults with prediabetes to follow an avocado and mango (AM) diet, adding one medium Hass avocado and one cup (about 120 grams) of fresh mango to your daily meals and snacks for eight weeks. A control group, with the same caloric intake, followed a similar diet, replacing avocado and mango with carbohydrate foods of comparable caloric value.

Those following the AM diet experienced significant improvements in vascular functionwhich promotes healthy circulation, and on diastolic blood pressure, a key factor for long-term heart health, compared to the control group.

Vascular function improved significantly in participants on the morning diet. They experienced a significant increase in flow-mediated dilation (DMF), a key measure of endothelial function (vascular health), down to 6.7%, compared to a decrease of 4.6% in the control group. This suggests a significant improvement.

Diastolic blood pressure also improved significantly, especially in men. In the control group, men experienced an average increase of 5 points (mmHg) in central blood pressure, while those who followed the morning diet experienced a reduction of approximately 1.9 points, a difference that may be clinically significant if maintained. These benefits occurred without changes in caloric intake or body weightsuggesting that nutrient-dense fruits, such as avocado and mango, can support cardiovascular health without major lifestyle changes.

“This research reinforces the power of strategies that They prioritize nutrition to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseasesespecially in vulnerable populations such as people with prediabetes – highlights Britt Burton-Freeman, principal investigator and professor at Illinois Tech. It is an encouraging message: small nutrient-rich additionshow to incorporate avocado and mango into meals and snacks, can promote cardiovascular health without the need for strict rules or drastic changes in diet.

The avocado and mango group also experienced increases in fiber, vitamin C, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (nutrients linked to cardiovascular well-being) without changes in caloric intake or body weight. Certain markers of kidney function, such as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), also improved. While no significant differences were found in cholesterol, blood glucose, or inflammation, the findings highlight the importance of adding nutrient-dense fruits to the diet, especially for those at risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

As researchers recall, together, mango and avocado offer a unique combination of nutrients that may help maintain heart health: The handle has fiber (2 g/serving, 7% of the daily value) and is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C (50% daily value), which may support blood sugar control, weight management, and overall cardiovascular wellness.

Avocado is a good fiber source (3 g/50 gram serving, 11% of the daily value), important for controlling cholesterol levels, blood sugar and body weight. Besides, provides heart-healthy fats (6 grams of unsaturated fat), which may reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to lower LDL cholesterol, and potassium (250 mg, 6% of the daily value), important for maintaining healthy blood pressure.

The complementary nutritional profiles of these two fruits They offer a simple and satisfying way to nourish the body and promote cardiovascular well-being. The authors suggest, to incorporate this combination into your daily diet, adding avocado and fresh mango to salads, smoothies or cereal bowls to give it a tasty and heart-healthy touch, with easy recipes such as tuna ceviche with mango and avocado or an avocado and mango dressing.