Vitamin A is an essential nutrient that is obtained by a
dietary intake of preformed vitamin A (retinol and its esterified
form, retinyl ester) or of provitamin A carotenoids. The vitamin A
content of the fresh fruits was determined by the extraction and
quantitative determination of the pro-vitamin A carotenoid- β-carotene.
Mango is considered a rich source of carotenoids.
Carotenoids have antioxidants, anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic
properties, giving protection against various diseases such as
different types of tumors, cardio vascular diseases as well as age
related illnesses.
Vitamin-A is required for maintaining healthy
mucosa and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes is
known to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
Vitamin A is
needed in the retina of the eye in the form of a specific metabolite,
the light absorbing retinal, that is absolutely necessary for both
low light (scotopic vision) and colour vision.
Carotenoids
are vital in their role as precursors of important vitamins such
as vitamin A. They also play extremely vital role as immune system
booster aiding the body’s ability to combat diseases and infections.
Most studies have shown that β-carotene is both the principal
provitamin A carotenoid and the main pigment in mango.
Carotenoids
are isoprenoid compounds, biosynthesized by tail-to-tail linkage of two
C20 molecules, which produces the parent C40 carbon skeleton from which
all the variations are derived.
Carotenoids such as β-carotene,
α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin, which have at least one unsubstituted
β-ring, are vitamin A precursors that play an important role in human
health.
Serving Size: 1 cup, sliced (165g) of mango provides 35% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A.