Monday, January 4, 2021

Mango fruit: Rich source of Vitamin A and pro-Vitamin A

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.
Mango fruit: Rich source of Vitamin A and pro-Vitamin A