The mango is a popular tropical fruit enjoyed worldwide for its sweet flavor and vibrant color. People often seek to understand the nutritional value of this fruit, particularly its calorie content. This article provides a clear, accurate breakdown of the mango’s nutritional information, focusing on its caloric value and corresponding macronutrient and micronutrient contributions.
Defining a Standard Serving Size
Answering the question of how many calories are in “one mango” is complicated because the fruit’s size varies significantly between varieties, from small Ataulfos to large Tommy Atkins mangoes. For nutritional consistency, a standard serving size is used: one cup of sliced, raw mango pieces, weighing approximately 165 grams. This standardized measurement helps ensure that all subsequent nutritional data is comparable and accurate.
This one-cup serving of fresh mango contains about 99 calories, making it a relatively low-calorie food for its volume. A single, medium-sized mango without the skin and pit, which weighs about 207 grams, contains slightly more, approximately 124 calories. The 99-calorie figure for the 165-gram serving is the accepted nutritional standard used for the rest of this analysis.
Caloric and Macronutrient Breakdown
The calories in a mango predominantly come from carbohydrates, which account for about 90% of the total caloric content. A standard one-cup serving provides approximately 25 grams of total carbohydrates. The fat and protein content is negligible, with less than one gram of fat and about 1.4 grams of protein per serving.
The majority of the carbohydrates are in the form of natural sugars, which amount to roughly 23 grams in a one-cup serving. This natural sugar content is what gives the mango its characteristic sweetness and contributes significantly to the overall calorie count. The remaining carbohydrate content includes a valuable amount of dietary fiber, around 2.6 grams per cup. This fiber helps moderate the release of the fruit’s natural sugars into the bloodstream.
Essential Vitamins and Health Contributions
The mango offers a strong profile of micronutrients that support various bodily functions. The fruit is notably rich in Vitamin C, with a single cup providing nearly 67% of the recommended daily value. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in tissue repair and immune function.
The golden-orange flesh of the mango indicates the presence of carotenoids, which the body converts into Vitamin A. A one-cup serving supplies about 10% of the daily Vitamin A requirement, a nutrient important for maintaining healthy vision and skin. The mango also contains copper, which assists in energy production and iron absorption, and a moderate amount of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure. The combination of these nutrients makes the mango a beneficial component of a balanced diet.