Mangoes can be eaten before or after meals in the morning, as a lunch snack, or with meals and dinner in the evenings.
However, there are some tiny (but essential) rules around eating mangoes at different times. So, keep reading to find out the dos and don’ts of eating your mangoes in the morning, afternoon, or evening.
What’s the Right Time of Day to Eat a Mango?
You can eat a mango whenever you crave it. Doctors have advised taking it in the morning to boost energy, and it can also be taken as an afternoon snack.
Mango can also be eaten at night, on the condition that you won’t go to bed immediately after.
Suggested Read: Can overripe mango make you sick?
When Should You Eat Mango?
You can combine mangoes with different meals of the day, choose to eat them as a dessert, eat one as a standalone snack or try other methods.
I’ve summarized some of my favorite ways to eat a mango below.
- Eat as a standalone snack. Mango is better off eaten as a lone snack and sometimes with other fruits. So, you can add it to a fruit salad, eat it as a dressing, or have the fruit as a whole.
- Combine with your meals. Mango can be mixed with meat products (fish, pork, duck), legumes, and other fruits in a fruit salad.
- Eat as an after-meal dessert. Like any other fruit, mango can be eaten after meals as it aids digestion.
When You Shouldn’t Eat a Mango
It’s best not to eat mango at night to prevent indigestion, on an empty stomach if you have diabetes or a few minutes before bed.
Here’s a summary of times when you shouldn’t eat a mango and why:
- At night. Metabolism slows down at night, and since mango is a fruit high in carbs, you might gain weight if it’s constantly being eaten.
- On an empty stomach. Diabetic patients should avoid having mangos on an empty stomach as this might cause an insulin surge. If you want to, make sure you have some fiber-rich food like nuts or berries to go with it.
- Just before bed. Eating mango right before going to bed might be problematic. The sweet taste of mango can make you eat it in excess, which results in indigestion. The sugar in the amount you’ve taken can also disrupt your natural sleep pattern leading to a lack of sleep.
Consuming mango in moderation or timing when it’s going to be eaten should help avoid any of these side effects.
Can You Eat Mangoes Before Bed at Night?
You can eat mangoes before bed if you have the fruit about 2-3 hours before turning in for the night. This is essential because it gives the mango enough time to digest, and it also aids your digestion process if you have it after meals.
However, mangoes may cause discomfort or constipation if you eat them too close to bedtime. Thus, they don’t digest properly and may result in health complications like troubled stomach, bloating, diarrhea, or other conditions.
Enjoy Your Mangoes Anytime
Whether in the morning, afternoon, or evening, you now know the best time to eat your mangoes. Also, I’m sure you’ve seen the dos and don’ts around eating the mangoes at certain times.
So, I can only suggest that you enjoy eating your mangoes as much as I do.
