Hair And Nail’s Health With Mango Nutrients

Overview 

The health of our hair and nails helps people feel better about their appearance. It can also contribute to our overall health. Nails act as a physical barrier to germs getting inside the body helping our immune system so it is important they remain healthy and strong.¹ Our hair health is important as scalp conditions like dandruff can be very irritating and cause people to be self-conscious.² We can maintain good hair and nail health by maintaining good hygiene and from natural ingredients.

Mangoes contain natural ingredients that can benefit your hair and nail strength. Mangoes are tropical fruits native to southern Asia. Mangoes are now grown in other parts of the world including North America and the Caribbean. Mangoes contain many nutrients that are good for your health. Some of these nutrients can benefit your hair and nail health. This is because mangoes are a good source of vitamins C and A.³  Some of the health benefits these vitamins can provide for your hair and nails include:

• Maintaining strength⁴
• Promoting Growth³
• Providing moisture^{3, 5}
• Prevent breakage^3,5

Read for a more in-depth explanation as to why and how mangoes can benefit your hair and nail strength and to discover some interesting ways mangoes can be incorporated into your diet. 

Nutrients in mango

Mangoes are very healthy fruits and can be a good way to satisfy a sweet craving. An 80g portion of fresh mango equals 48 Kcal and provides the following amount of nutrients : ³

• 0.7g protein
• 0.3g fat
• 11.2g carbohydrate
• 1.3g fibre
• 134 mg potassium
• 29 mg vitamin C
• 30 mcg Vitamin A

An 80g serving of fresh mango counts as one of your 5 a day whereas just 30g of dried mango counts. ³

Benefits of mango nutrients for hair health

Mango can benefit hair health. This is mainly because it contains Vitamins C and A, which offer various hair health benefits. 

Vitamin C 

Mangoes can help nourish and strengthen your hair. Mango is rich in vitamin C.³ Vitamin C is required for the production of collagen, the most abundant protein in your body.⁶ Vitamin C prevents the inactivation of 2 key enzymes required for collagen production.⁶ Enzymes are proteins in our body that speed up chemical reactions. 

So why is Collagen important for your hair? 

• Collagen is the primary structural protein found in hair, skin and bone⁷
• Collagen therefore contributes to keeping hair strong and healthy⁴
• Our bodies naturally make collagen, and the food we eat can support its production.
• As we age, we naturally begin to produce less collagen. This effect of this can manifest in dry and fragile hair that is prone to breakage⁴
• Eating mango as a source of vitamin C to boost your collagen may improve your hair's growth and strength.

Vitamin A 

Mangoes also provide a good source of vitamin A:³

• Vitamin A is required by cells in our body for growth including hair cells³
• Vitamin A is also involved in the production of Sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that keeps our scalp and skin moisturised³

Anti-oxidants 

Eating a diet rich in antioxidants is linked to many health benefits. Mangoes are a good source with Vitamins  A, C and E all being anti-oxidants.⁸ So what does this mean for your hair health and why are antioxidants important?

• Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. 
• Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage our cells and DNA. 
• Free radicals are produced from regular chemical reactions in our bodies and by external factors like pollution and tobacco⁹
• Antioxidants are produced by our cells to neutralise free radicals to prevent oxidative stress⁹
• Free radical production increases with age, this can affect your hair and scalp cells¹⁰
• Oxidative stress can be linked with scalp damage which in turn harms hair formation and growth. It is also linked with dermatological scalp issues like dandruff, dermatitis and psoriasis¹⁰

Therefore mangoes to get more antioxidants in your diet  could help protect your hair from oxidative stress-related damage

Mango hair products 

As well as being part of your diet Mango nutrients can benefit your health with direct application to your hair.  The hair-strengthening benefits of vitamin C in mangoes can be enjoyed via a mashed mango hair mask. Moreover, the vitamin A in mangoes can help manage dandruff via direct application onto the scalp with oil. ⁴

Benefits of mango nutrients for nail health

Keeping your nails in condition is not only about their appearance but is important for your health. Nails act as a physical barrier to germs entering the body, so it is important to keep them healthy and strong.  The benefits of mango for your hair are closely related to how it helps your nails with vitamin C being key. 

Vitamin C 

As described vitamin C is important in collagen production. Mangoes provide a good source of vitamin C and so could aid collagen production.  This helps keep your nails healthy because: 

• Collagen  helps with the formation and maintenance of nails⁵
• Collagen provides nails with strength and flexibility⁵
• It can be described as acting like a glue between keratin cells preventing breakage ( Keratin is the main protein that makes up your nails )⁵
• Collagen also protects nails from dryness and brittleness by providing moisture⁵
• Collagen can also stimulate nail growth.⁵

Anti-oxidants

Nails are made of similar proteins found in hair, so it is believed that oxidative stress can harm nails' health and strength too.  Some scientists believe there is a link between oxidative stress in nail keratins and the molecular basis of brittle nails.¹¹

Therefore protection from oxidative stress from antioxidants could be important for nail health. As described before, mangoes contain the antioxidants A, C and E and so can contribute to nail health by protecting them from oxidative stress. 

Incorporating mango into the diet for hair and nail health

Mangoes are a very healthy way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Fresh mango is the best option as canned and dried contain added sugar. Shopping for fresh mango can be difficult. Ripe mangoes are orange/ yellow and should be soft when you squeeze them. Unripe mangoes on the other hand will be green and tough.¹² Whilst edible the peel of mango should be avoided because it contains a natural urushiol that can give people itchy rashes.⁸

Mangoes can be added to your diet in many ways and make a good addition to:

• Porridge 
• Yoghurt 
• Salads 
• Smoothies 

Mangoes can also be a nice addition to a grilled meal and pair nicely with fish.⁸ As described before 80g of the fresh fruit is provided on serving of your 5 a day.³

Summary 

To conclude, our hair and nail health matters to us not only because of appearance but also for our general health. Diet can contribute to their health, we can source vitamin C from our diet including mangoes.³ This vitamin is essential for collagen production.⁶ Collagen is the main protein in the body.⁷ Collagen gives your hair strength and can help its growth.⁴ It also provides your nails with strength, flexibility and moisture.⁵ Vitamin A is another key nutrient in mangoes that can help prevent dry scalps.³ These vitamins also have the added benefit of being antioxidants so could protect hair and nail cells against oxidative stress.⁷