Mango and histamine – How well tolerated is the exotic fruit?

In Germany, the mango was still a rarity about 10 years ago. But nowadays, you can easily find it in every common supermarket. However, is this exotic fruit tolerable for people with histamine issues, or is it considered one of the higher-histamine foods? You can find out this and much more

The original home of these exotic fruits is India. There, mangoes were cultivated 4,000 years ago. Due to their current popularity, the fruit is now grown in almost all tropical countries. Key growing regions include India, Thailand, Pakistan, and Mexico. The mango tree is botanically related to pistachios and cashews and typically reaches a height of 15 meters in its native lands.

However, its maximum height can be about 30 meters. Worldwide, there are over 1,000 different varieties of mangoes. They come in round, oval, and kidney shapes. They are about 10 cm long and usually weigh between 250 g and 1.5 kg. They have a thin, smooth skin that is greenish, yellowish, or reddish, often with a purple, pink, orange-yellow, or red shimmer.

In the center of the orange flesh is a flat pit. The flesh is usually soft and creamy, and sometimes a bit fibrous. Nevertheless, the taste often resembles a peach, being sweet and aromatic. Wild mangoes, in particular, often leave a turpentine-like aftertaste.

Mangoes contain a lot of Vitamin A, which, among other things, contributes to maintaining normal vision and normal skin. Additionally, they are rich in Vitamin C, which, among other things, contributes to normal energy metabolism and a normal immune system function. Furthermore, they also contain a lot of potassium, as well as some copper. Unripe mangoes can also have a laxative effect. Moreover, mangoes can ripen at home if they are not yet ripe when purchased.

The following nutritional values are in 100 g of mango:

According to the SIGHI list, mango is rated with 1, so the tolerability of this exotic fruit should ideally be individually tested. However, it is often well-tolerated in small amounts. As with all fruits, it is important to consume them as fresh as possible, as the histamine content increases with longer storage. Frozen mangoes are very suitable for slowly testing tolerability, as they contain less histamine than ripe fruits.

Mango is suitable for the following diets:

• low-histamine diet
• lactose-free diet
• low-sorbitol diet
• low-salicylate diet
• gluten-free diet
• low-nickel diet

Mango is less suitable for the following diets:

Although mangoes are among the fruits that are relatively low in pesticide residues, it is still advisable to buy them in organic quality. Additionally, you should make sure that the mangoes are as fresh as possible. You can tell their freshness if the mangoes give slightly when pressed. Unripe fruits are recognizable by being hard, having a wrinkled skin, and very fibrous flesh.

The purchase of processed products such as dried mangoes is not highly recommended, as they often contain intolerable additives such as sunflower oil. Ripe mangoes can be easily stored in the refrigerator, but should be consumed relatively soon. Unripe mangoes can also be stored at room temperature with other fruits after purchase to accelerate the ripening process.

By the way, you can also easily freeze ripe mangoes if you don't want to consume them right away. Mangoes can also be bought as frozen goods, as they are usually lowest in histamine then.

Delicious Recipes with Mangoes

Vegan Mango Pancakes:

• 110g spelt flour
• 2 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 200ml oat milk (1)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 mango (1)
• 1 tbsp coconut blossom sugar
• 200g coconut yogurt (1)

Mango Curry with Basmati Rice: