If you had to choose between two snacks—one with just seven grams of sugar and another with over 30 grams—you’d probably assume the lower sugar option is better for your health.
But new research suggests that it’s not always that simple. Especially for the nearly 100 million adults in the United States who live with prediabetes, picking the right snack goes beyond just counting sugar grams.
A new clinical study led by Raedeh Basiri, a nutrition expert from George Mason University, found that mangoes, even though they have more sugar than many other snacks, may actually help lower the risk of developing diabetes.
Tropical fruits like mangoes can contain between 10 and 50 grams of sugar, putting them near the top of the list when it comes to natural sugar content. But mangoes are also full of other nutrients that might offer protective health benefits.
“It’s not just about how much sugar is in the food. It’s about the full food package,” said Basiri, who works in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. Her study is the first long-term clinical trial to show both metabolic improvements and better body composition from eating mangoes in people with prediabetes.
Fruits like mangoes contain natural sugars, but they also come with fiber, vitamins, and other helpful nutrients. These can support the body’s ability to process sugar more efficiently.
On the other hand, many low-sugar snacks, like certain granola bars or breakfast cereals, often contain added sugar and fewer nutrients. Some of these foods could even raise the risk of developing diabetes.
Basiri’s goal is to help people understand that eating whole fruits, including mangoes, can be part of a healthy plan to prevent diabetes. She explains that those at risk of diabetes shouldn’t just look at the number of sugar grams on the label—they should think about where that sugar comes from and what else the food offers.
In the study, Basiri’s team split participants into two groups. One group ate a fresh mango every day, and the other group ate a low-sugar granola bar. Over six months, the researchers kept track of the participants’ blood sugar levels, how their bodies responded to insulin, and how much body fat they had.
At the end of the trial, the mango group showed better results. Even though mangoes have about 32 grams of sugar, compared to just 11 grams in the granola bar, the mango eaters had better control of their blood sugar, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced body fat.
This study, titled “Daily Mango Intake Improves Glycemic and Body Composition Outcomes in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Study,” was published in the journal Foods in August 2025.
The research was supported by the National Mango Board, but the funders had no role in how the study was designed, carried out, or published. The authors did not report any other conflicts of interest.
Basiri, a registered dietitian and clinical nutrition researcher, focuses on how whole foods affect things like blood sugar, sleep, mental health, and gut health.
She uses new tools, such as continuous glucose monitoring, to study people with prediabetes and diabetes. She believes strongly in helping prevent chronic diseases and mentoring the next generation of health professionals.
This study offers an important message: not all sugars are created equal. While added sugars in processed snacks may be harmful, natural sugars in whole fruits—especially when paired with fiber and nutrients—can support better health. For people at risk of diabetes, whole fruits like mangoes might just be a sweet step in the right direction.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
The study is published in Foods.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
