An interesting poster by Lifestyle Philippines. Mango leaves reduces diabetes risk. The poster has instruction saying, boil about 15 fresh mango leaves in water. Let stand overnight. Filter. Then drink.
Maybe eating green and yellow mango fruit yield the same result but there are reasons why choose leaves over the fruit. Leaves are available all year round and almost always free unless your are living in the middle of skyscrapers and busy noisy roads.
It triggered my interest to find more literature. Here they are.
The young mango leaves can be eaten, mixed with native dishes or prepared as tea. I have never tried it yet however. Leaf juice is used for treatment of bleeding dysentery, asthma, coughs and other lung diseases. Addwith honey and use it to cure loss voice. Dried tender leaves for curing diabetics. Leaf ash for burn and scar remedy. Leaves analysis showed 43% euxanthin acid, some euxanthon, hippuric acid, benzoic acid, mangiferin and mangin. source
Soak ten to fifteen tender mango leaves in glass of water and leave it overnight. Filter and drink on an empty stomach in the morning. Or, air dry the leaves, grind and take a teaspoon two times daily. source
Boil 3-4 mango leaves. Let stand overnight. Filter the next morning and drink before breakfast. This specific procedure is intended for lowering blood pressure, not controlling diabetes. source
It seem literature are pointing to young tender leaves. Based from my own observation, mango trees rarely produce new young leaves every year. Production of new young leaves can be induced by cutting off some branches.
Here are other findings of legitimate scientific studies.
Based on results obtained it was found that Mangifera indica has significant hypoglycemic activity in high dose and can be successfully combined with oral hypoglycemic agents in type-2 diabetic patients whose diabetes is not controlled by these agents.
source: Clinical Investigation of Hypoglycemic Effect of Leaves of Mangifera Indica in Type II Diabetes Mellitus. by: Akbar Waheed, G.A. Miana and S.I. Ahmad. published: Pakistan Journal of Pharmacology, Vol.23, No.2, July 2006, pp.13-18
Mangiferin showed anti-diabetic as well as hypolipidemic potentials in type 2 diabetic model rats. Therefore,mangiferin possess beneficial effects in the management of type 2 diabetes with hyperlipidemia.
source: Studies on the anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic potentials of mangiferin (Xanthone Glucoside) in streptozotocin-induced Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic model rats. by: B Dineshkumar, Analava Mitra, M Manjunatha. published: International Journal of Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences 1 (2010) 75-85
Leaves extract have powerful antioxidant activities because of high phenol and flavonoid contents… which maybe responsible for diabetic complications in rat studies. Mango leaves extract increase peripheral utilization of glucose, increase hepatic and muscle glucagons’ contents, promote B cells repair and regeneration and increase c peptide level. It has antioxidant properties and protects B cells from oxidative stress. It exerts insulin like action by reducing the glycated hemoglobin levels, normalizing the microalbuminurea and modulating the lipid profile. It minimizes long term diabetic complications. Efforts are now being made to investigate mechanism of action of some of these plants using model systems.
source: Effect of Aqueous Extract Mangifera Indica Leaves, as Functional Foods. by: Reda M.Y. Morsi, N.R.EL-Tahan and Adel M.A. El-Hadad. published: Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 6(6): 712-721, 2010, © 2010, INSInet Publication
Mango added to a high-fat diet, prevented the increase in fat mass due to high-fat diet and
was similar in efficacy to two well-known drugs used in the treatment of metabolic disorders, rosiglitazone and fenofibrate. Findings suggest that incorporation of mango in the diet may also lower risk factors for the development and progression of heart disease.
was similar in efficacy to two well-known drugs used in the treatment of metabolic disorders, rosiglitazone and fenofibrate. Findings suggest that incorporation of mango in the diet may also lower risk factors for the development and progression of heart disease.
source: Mango Modulates Body Fat and Plasma Glucose and Lipids in Mice Fed High Fat Diet. by: Dr. Edralin A. Lucas et al.
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