My renal patients often ask me “is mango good for kidney patients?” because many kidney patients have doubts when it comes to fruits like mango and their safety regarding particular kidney diseases.
In this article, I will go explain the benefits of eating raw mango and ripe mango for kidney patients and the downsides associated with it, if any.
Mango is one of the most popular fruits in India, it comes in different varieties and is also consumed in different forms, such as juice, sweet dishes, pickles, etc.
Mangos like Alphonso, Kesar, and Badami are eaten commonly across India during the months of April – July.
Is raw mango good for chronic kidney disease patients?
In comparison to ripe mangoes, raw mangoes have a stronger taste. Raw mangoes are rich in different minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Raw mangoes also contain antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances.
These nutrients in raw mangoes are beneficial for the kidneys as they play a protective role for kidney disease.
But for a person with CKD, it is recommended to be mindful about the number of raw mangoes they consume since raw mangoes are rich in minerals like potassium.
Potassium is a mineral that is required in the body for optimal functioning of the nerves and the muscles.
For a person with healthy kidneys, the potassium levels in the body are managed through the diet and the excess potassium is expelled by the kidneys through the urine.
However, for an individual with CKD, the condition of the person’s kidney to regulate mineral levels will not be at its best, which means that eating foods that are rich in potassium could lead to high potassium levels in the blood.
Hence, it is important to carefully manage the intake of minerals like sodium, potassium, and phosphorus and raw mangoes are rich in potassium.
Different mangoes have different amounts of nutrients, the number of nutrients will vary based on the type and size of the mango.
As I mentioned above, there are different types of mangoes like Alphonso, badam, Kesari, etc.
They all share similar nutrients, the exact numbers will vary between them, while some will be higher in its potassium content and some lower.
It is advisable to talk to a dietician or a nutritionist about including raw mangoes in your diet to get necessary information about the type and exact amount of mango you can include in your diet based on your condition.
Is mango good for kidney stones?
Mangoes are rich in citrate which is helpful in preventing kidney stones. Citrates in the mango are also helpful in preventing the formation of chemicals that causes kidney stones.
Therefore, for patients with kidney stones, eating mango is not a problem and also might be beneficial in their condition.
However, just like with any other food ingredient, even if it is healthy in general, it’s important to not over consume them.
Is ripe mango good for CKD patients?
Ripe mangoes are particularly rich in carbohydrates, therefore for people whose kidney disease is caused because of their diabetes, it is important to limit or avoid fruits high in their glycemic index (rate of absorption of glucose in the blood) to avoid a big blood glucose spike.
For a person suffering from chronic kidney disease, their kidney function will be severely diminished in comparison to a healthy person. Therefore CKD patients need to be mindful about their intake of certain minerals such as sodium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Ripe mangoes generally would not be recommended to a CKD patient as it is high in its potassium content which may increase the burden on the kidney to regulate blood potassium levels and puts the kidney at risk for further damage.
For CKD patients, it is prudent to maintain a healthy diet. A ripe mango is rich in various nutrients and phytochemicals. It is abundant in natural sugar, minerals, and vitamins.
Eating a ripe mango is not a problem for someone with healthy kidneys. However, for a CKD patient eating ripe mangoes would not be recommended to avoid further aggravation of kidney damage.
Having said that, it also depends on the individual and their specific condition, which is why it is important to talk to a medical professional so that they can evaluate the condition of your disease and make appropriate dietary recommendations which will be based on the results of numerous tests.
Precautions while consuming mango for kidney patients
- High in Sugar – As stated above, Mango is high in its sugar content. Every ripe mango has approximately 23 grams of sugar which primarily consists of fructose.
Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver which puts kidney patients with diabetes at risk.
- Processed Mangoes – For kidney patients, it’s important to be wary of where they are purchasing their mangoes, as in certain places, mangoes are artificially ripened with the use of chemicals such as calcium carbide, which could be harmful to the kidneys of CKD patients.
Summary
Mangoes are healthy and can play a protective role in preventing kidney disease because of their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
However, for CKD patients, it’s necessary to talk to a health care professional before including mango in your diet.
Mangoes have various health benefits but when eating excessively can be harmful to health. Mangoes can be eaten whole or made into different dishes.
However, mango juice should be drunk in limited amounts due to its high sugar content. When you juice a fruit, you lose its fiber content which is needed for proper digestion and in aiding the body in a slow breakdown of sugar.
