What Are the Health Benefits of Mango Leaves?

Mango leaves are one of the most popular herbs in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. While they are used as an herb in many different cuisines across Asia, they also have many medicinal properties that you can use to help treat some common ailments, especially digestive issues and internal parasites. This article will look at the health benefits of mango leaves and how you can use mango leaf powder to improve your health and wellness.

What Are Mango Leaves?

Besides mango pulp, mango leaves are also commonly used in South Indian and Southeast Asian cuisines. It’s a key ingredient in a number of curries and chutneys, which is why they may be familiar to you if you eat at Indian restaurants. They can also be made into teas. If you drink tea or eat curries frequently but don’t know what mango leaves look like or how to identify them, it’s easy: they look just like their namesake! The best way to use them is fresh—either by steaming or boiling—and then grinding them into powder for use in recipes. That way, you can enjoy all their benefits straight away instead of having to wait until your body digests what’s ingested later on.

These days, herb supplements that contain mango leaf powder aren’t unheard of—in fact, many people swear by their weight-loss properties. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to get them into your diet. One study suggests that these healthy leaves could have an impact on cardiovascular health as well as prevent obesity. In fact, one group found mango leaves had anti-diabetic potential and managed blood sugar levels better than popular diabetes medication Metformin (generic name Glucophage). As with anything else you put in your body though (or hope will reduce blood sugar), speak with a doctor before taking mango leaf extracts for prolonged periods.

10 Benefits of Mango Leaves

Mangoes are known for their sweet, juicy pulp and delicious flavor. But did you know that mango leaves also offer many health benefits? Research shows that these leaves can be used in many ways to promote good health and fight common diseases.

Here’s a list of 10 proven benefits of mango leaves:

1. Prevents High Blood Pressure

Cardiac studies show that mango leaf extract helps treat high blood pressure better than conventional drugs without any side effects.

2. Helps Treat Asthma & Respiratory Diseases

Extract from mango leaves may be able to help treat asthma and other respiratory disorders, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Relieves Constipation

Drinking a tea made from crushed mango leaves helps relieve constipation more effectively than an infusion from flowering dogwood (Cornus Florida).

4. Treats Urinary Tract Infections

A chemical compound extracted from mango leaves is effective against pathogenic bacteria commonly found in urinary tract infections.

5. May Treat Skin Disorders

The oleanolic acid found in mango tree bark seems to have antioxidant activity that could potentially be beneficial for treating skin diseases such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.

6. Might Improve Oral Health

Researchers have identified several compounds present in mango trees that might potentially inhibit bacteria responsible for causing cavities and gingivitis.

7. Regulates Menstruation

Studies indicate that drinking mango leaf water on a regular basis helps regulate menstruation and reduce menstrual bleeding.

8. Supports Healthy Eyesight

Several studies suggest that mango leaf extracts can protect against cataracts and other eye-related diseases.

9. Can Help Fight Cancer

Antioxidants found in mango trees seem to be helpful for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy by reducing toxic side effects like nausea, vomiting, fatigue and hair loss caused by chemotherapy agents.

10. Reduces Obesity

Results from laboratory research indicate that mangiferin (one of mango's active ingredients) may help prevent obesity by suppressing overeating habits among rats fed with a fatty diet. It never hurts to lose weight!

Mango Leaves For Diabetes

Diabetes is caused by too much sugar in your blood. It’s not caused by carbs, so eating fruit doesn’t cause diabetes. But sugar causes chronic inflammation in your body, which is linked to all kinds of diseases—including diabetes and obesity. In a study published in Phytotherapy Research, researchers found that mango leaves have a specific antioxidant called gallic acid that can help lower blood sugar levels and fight inflammation. Eating these leaves on their own (or taking them as tea) could be an effective way to control blood sugar levels and lower the risk for diabetes. Mangoes themselves have other health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, weight loss and reducing symptoms of menopause.

Side Effects and Drug Interactions

You should always talk to your doctor before taking any over-the-counter drugs or supplements. Any drug can cause side effects, some of which can be dangerous, but especially if you’re on other medications or have a pre-existing medical condition. And any supplement can interact with other medications and cause dangerous side effects. This is why it’s so important to speak with your doctor before starting anything new and, especially, before starting multiple things at once. The following are just a few possible side effects that you should be aware of: vomiting, diarrhea, and heartburn; trouble sleeping; drowsiness; weight gain or loss; headaches or migraines; dizziness and/or vertigo.

The Best Way to Use Mango Leaves

First and foremost, it’s important to know that you shouldn’t eat raw mango leaves—while many people think they’re delicious, they are actually toxic. You can, however, cook with them: try using a handful in a stew or soup. Also, note that you shouldn’t eat mango leaves from a mango tree that hasn’t been grown organically; these may contain pesticides that aren’t good for you.

Where Can You Find Mango Leaves?

You can find mango leaves at any Indian grocery store. If you don’t have one nearby, you can also order them online; I recommend Natural Smart Health. The mango leaf powder I refer to in my recipe is a powdered form of dried mango leaves that you can easily add to your smoothies and shakes.

How To Make Mango Leaves Tea

It’s easy to make your own mango leaf tea. It’s best made by mixing dried and powdered leaves into hot water, then straining out everything except for your tea. Put roughly 10 grams of dried leaves into a cup or mug, then add hot water until it covers them completely. Then leave it to steep for 15 minutes before straining out all but what remains in your cup.

Where Can You Find Mango Leaf Powder?

You can purchase dried mango leaves or berberine in most health food stores or through a local apothecary. You can also find them online at health-food stores and apothecaries, though you’ll likely pay more for shipping. Look for dried mango leaves that are a vibrant green color with no signs of mold or mildew. Alternatively, fresh mango leaves may be used for certain recipes; simply rinse them thoroughly and allow them to dry out completely before use. You can also purchase mango leaf powder capsules.

What Are Mango Leaf Side Effects?

When eaten whole, mango leaves don’t have any side effects. However, if you drink a tea brewed from mango leaves and are sensitive to tannins (which are compounds in plants that produce a bitter taste), you might experience some mild side effects like stomach discomfort or diarrhea. A few cases of liver damage have been reported in people who drank mango leaf tea daily for two months, but it isn’t clear whether or not mango leaves were responsible for these adverse reactions.

If you have heart or kidney problems, consult your doctor before using mango leaves in any form. If using them as medicine—to treat malaria, for example—do so under medical supervision as well. To be safe, also avoid consuming large amounts of fresh mango leaves; do so only under direction from a health professional.

What is Mangiferin?

Mangiferin is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory like blueberries. Research suggests that mangiferin may help in treating various health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma and skin diseases. Mangiferin can be extracted from mango leaves or purchased as an ingredient in dietary supplements. While eating mango leaves has proven to have little medicinal benefits if you are healthy, eating mango leaves may provide health benefits for those suffering from certain medical conditions.

How Much Mangiferin Is In Mango Leaves?

Mangiferin is a polyphenol antioxidant that is abundant in mango leaves. One cup (about 3 ounces) contains 0.09 grams of mangiferin, which suggests there are about 11 calories in mango leaves. The therapeutic benefits can vary depending on how much mangiferin you consume, so it's impossible to say if eating a few mango leaves has medicinal effects or not. To take advantage of its antioxidant properties, however, you'd need to consume approximately 500-600 milligrams per day (at least 10 cups of leaves). Mangiferin may help protect against cancer and lower blood pressure by inhibiting angiotensin converting enzyme.

You can view more published research here or read more about our costus igneus.