Have you heard of the African Mango. It is one of the latest in a line of over hyped super fruits. It first appeared, like many of these super fruits, on the Dr. Oz show, Oprah’s favorite doctor, where he recommends it as step 6 in his Just 10 Weight Loss Challenge. Dr. Oz claims a 300mg African Mango Supplement, official name Irvingia Gabonensis, acts as a potent dietary fiber relieving the body of fat and cholesterol. These weight loss claims sound great, but can you really trust television and all the junk they advertise. Don’t be mistaken, I’m a huge proponent of fruit for natural weight loss; however, “Dr. Oz’ African Mango Supplement” is the nice way of saying Dr. Oz’ African Mango Diet Pill; according to LiveStrong there are serious negative side effects from diet pills. African Mango Extract diet pills aside; there actually are health and weight loss benefits to be gained from eating a real, pure African mango; however, don’t rush to buy African mango because eating African mangoes alone does not guarantee you weight loss. African Mango plus a healthy lifestyle does.
What is the African Mango?
The African Mango comes from the Irvingia Gabonensis tree native to West Africa. Interestingly the fruit is not actually a mango, it is only similar to the Mango most of the world recognizes. Most mangoes found in the United States range from yellow to orange in color while the african mango is pure green as pictured on the left. The name it has been given implies it is only found in Africa; however, it is also found in multiple countries in southeast Asia where it is known by the name wild mango or bush mango. This fruit is a drupe which means a fleshy fibrous outer part surrounds the core or pit which contains the seed. Surprisingly the African mango seed contains as many nutrients as the flesh.
African Mango Weight Loss and Health Benefits
What I don’t appreciate about the super fruits fad is the lack of education diet guru’s like Dr. Oz provide their followers. Gurus know once they mention one of these super fruits numerous supplement companies will create a diet pill and aggressively market it using Gurus’ names, corporate logo’s, fake African mango reviews, and respectable news station’s credibility to deceive consumers into buying African mango. These diet pill pushers provide no actual facts to their consumers. If Dr. Oz cares about his followers he needs to provide better information and recommend where to buy African mango extract. Aside from the misinformation, African mango diet pills are risky because they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is why I advise only eating real African mangoes.
African Mango is not one of few, but one of many fruits that has health benefits. All fruits contain water, this may seem basic but most people underestimate the benefit of proper water intake each day. Second all fruit contains large amounts of natural fiber which helps with stomach cramps, relieves constipation, and regulates bowel movements. This is your bodies natural way of removing toxins. Toxins bind to fat so the lesser the toxins in your body the healthier you will feel and the more weight you will lose. A major claim to fame for these super fruits like African Mango is they will lower your cholesterol levels, preventing strokes and heart disease; in fact, all fruits lower your cholesterol. Actually, oatmeal is the best food for lowering bad cholesterol. My favorite breakfast is oatmeal with fruit mixed in because of the tremendous health benefits it provides. This simple breakfast has far greater benefits than supplementing your diet with African Mango.
I’m not saying there is an African Mango Scam taking place, the only scam is the lack of information and education available from companies, health gurus, and marketers who sell African mango extract and other related supplements. Fortunately, I dug deep and uncovered the correct facts about this African mango. In a double blind scientific study on Irvingia Gabonensis (African Mango) researches found answers. The group of people in Cameroon who took African mango extract three times per day did lose a statistically significant amount of weight. In one month the group who took the African mango lost 5.6% +/- 2.7% of there body weight and realized a significant decrease in weight size. Surprisingly neither group lost a significant amount of body fat. In addition to the weight loss blood pressure (SBP) was reduced, bad cholesterol (LDL) was lowered, and good cholesterol (HDL) was raised.
The study shows there are health and weight loss benefits to eating African mango, but don’t go rush out and buy African mango; there is more to the study. Unlike most fruits, you must eat the African mango seeds to lose weight and eat a lot of them. Each of the subjects were given 1050mg ten times per day for a month only to lose a few pounds. That is over three times the Dr. Oz recommended amount of 300mg per day; more bad information. This small study on Irvingia Gabonensis performed on obese subjects in Cameroon Africa are the only facts. Please do not fork out the money and go through the trouble to buy African mango. Don’t trust unregulated internet supplement companies who provide shady diet pills with unknown side effects. There are more effective, healthier, lower cost, natural paths to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, decreased weight size, and weight loss.
African Mango Side Effects
- Users of African mango have Experienced Flatulence
- Headaches have been reported by people taking Irvingia Gabonensis
- Worst of all African mango extract has caused sleep problems.
- It is best to avoid taking African mango supplements during pregnancy or breast feeding
- Make sure the components of African mango do not cause allergic reactions or hypersensitivity
- Patients in clinical studies on Irvingia Gabonensis experienced dry mouth and flu-like symptoms.
Additional Information:

Six Benefits of Eating Bananas
Fibers are important nutrients for us because of the following several reasons:
When you were young, your mom probably told you to eat fruit. Although she might have been more interested in keeping you healthy—fruit has zero cholesterol, serves as a good source of heart-healthy fiber and contains phytochemicals that reduce blood pressure and the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes—boosting your fruit intake may also help you lose weight. Add strawberries and grapefruit to your watermelon, and watch the scale inch to the left.