How healthy are mangoes?

In India, the mango is known as the "king of fruit".

- Caroline Hopkins Legaspi

NEW YORK - The fruit, and its tree and leaves, are symbols of prosperity, good luck and love.

There is a lot to love nutritionally too. Mangoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium. And they freeze well, making them a year-round smoothie staple.

Here is what to know about their health attributes.

HIGH IN SUGAR, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE EATING A COOKIE One-half of a peeled mango contains about 23g of sugar, which is more than twice what you get in a typical store-bought chocolate chip cookie.

But the natural sugar in mangoes does not spike your blood glucose the way the added sugar in cookies does, said dietitian Jessica Higgins in the Lifestyle Medicine programme at NYC Health + Hospitals Woodhull.

That is because your body has to break down the beneficial fibre in a mango to access its sugar. This takes time, which gives your body a chance to gradually process the glucose. In a cookie, she said, the refined sugar is available immediately, which is why it can cause a spike.