Mango Prevents Colon, Breast Cancer

COLLEGE STATION, TexasMango has been found to prevent or stop certain colon and breast cancer cells in the lab, according to a new study by Texas AgriLife Research food scientists who examined the five varieties most common in the United StatesKent, Francine, Ataulfo, Tommy/Atkins and Haden.

"If you look at what people currently perceive as a superfood, people think of high-antioxidant capacity, and mango is not quite there," said Dr. Susanne Talcott, who with her husband, Dr. Steve Talcott, conducted the study on cancer cells. "In comparison with antioxidants in blueberry, acai and pomegranate, it's not even close."

Researchers tested mango polyphenol extracts in vitro on colon, breast, lung, leukemia and prostate cancer and found it had some impact on lung, leukemia and prostate cancers but it prevented or stopped cancer growth in certain breast and colon cell lines.

"It has about four to five times less antioxidant capacity than an average wine grape, and it still holds up fairly well in anticancer activity. If you look at it from the physiological and nutritional standpoint, taking everything together, it would be a high-ranking super food," she said. "It would be good to include mangos as part of the regular diet."