Think mangoes are devilishly high in sugar? You're not wrong - but there's something more you should know. Mangoes, despite their reputation as a sugar rushee, might just have an unexpected trick up their leafy sleeves. Recent research suggests these sugary delights can work wonders on your blood sugar levels.

The devil, as always, is in the details. A recent study put our favorite tropical fruit in the spotlight, and the results are as startling as they are succulent. Prediabetes, the pesky problem that meddles with how our bodies handle sugar, was put to the mango test. Enrolling participants with this condition, researchers handed out a medium-sized mango every day and watched what happened.

"Health enthusiasts might scoff at the high sugar content in mangoes, but there's more to this fruit than meets the diet-conscious eye. We've got vitamin C, antioxidants like carotenoids, polyphenols such as mangiferin, quercetin, gallic acid and - drumroll, please - fiber," clarifies Raedeh Basiri, PhD, RDN, and assistant professor at George Mason University.

If you're scratching your head about why fiber's important, here's a newsflash: It's the traffic cop for blood sugar spikes. This humble nutrient slows down digestion and keeps blood sugar levels from skyrocketing post-meals. And hey, it turns mangoes are pretty good at it.

Fast forward through 24 weeks of mango or granola bar chomping, and the results speak for themselves: better fasting glucose levels and improved insulin sensitivity. So, all you worrywarts shunning mangoes, it's time to give these fiber-champions another shot.

“Here’s the reality check we all need: It's not just about food's calorie count but also how our bodies respond to it, which the food matrix determines," puts forth Amanda Sauceda, MS, RD, a nutrition lecturer.

But before you go on a mango binge, ensure you're balancing it out with protein. Why, you ask? It's simple: proteins play the good samaritan by helping your body absorb sugary foods more slowly. And slower absorption means lesser impact on your blood sugar levels.

So, if you're fighting the prediabetes battle, here's your secret weapon in fruit form. Go ahead, indulge in a mango or two. Trust us - we're not bullshitting you here.