Mangos tend to symbolize summer. They are a sweet, unique tasting fruit that has been labeled the king of fruits and has been part of the human diet since ancient times. This nutritionally rich fruit with a heavenly scent is a member of the drupe family, which is a type of plant food that has an outer fleshly part that surrounds a shell (pit”> with a seed inside. They were first grown in India over 5,000 years ago and the seeds traveled with humans from Asia to the Middle East, East Africa, and South America around 300 or 400 A.D.
Health Benefits of Mangos
Mangos are super fruits in the category of nutrition, as they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds. There nutritional value includes vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 plus other B vitamins, healthy probiotic fiber, copper, potassium, and magnesium.
Read more: 7 Vitamins Every Hair Health Nut Should Know
Mangos and Your Hair
Yes, mangos can do much more for your hair other than give your tresses a heavenly scent. Being rich in vitamins and minerals that nourish and promote hair growth is the main reason we find tons of hair recipes and hair products that include mango. The vitamin A in mangos helps to fight dandruff while also adding a natural sheen to your strands. This is why you find them in many moisturizers. The abundance of fatty acids in mango seed oil can help with blood circulation and cell growth, which are significantly important to hair follicles. They help to increase nutrient absorption at the hair follicle.
The presence of copper in mangos need not go unnoticed as copper peptides enable wounds bordered by hair to get healed relatively quickly and are beneficial for those healing their scalp and regrowing hair after chemotherapy. There are several hair products that include mangos in their ingredients but many find creating DIY mixtures with them to be easy, fun and beneficial to healthier hair. Here are a few recipes that you might want to try:
Mango Mask for Dry Hair
via Bali Cosmetics
- 1 ripe mango
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp. natural yogurt
Peel and dice the mango and mash with a small fork in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks and yogurt well before adding to mashed mango and mixing well. Gently massage the mask into dry, dirty hair starting from the roots and moving down the hair making sure to focus on dry, split ends. Wrap hair in a shower cap and cover head with a warm towel for about an hour. Rinse the mask off with warm water and cleanse as usual.
Mango Butter Hair Treatment
- 1 cup macadamia nut oil
- 1 cup sunflower seed oil
- 1/4 cup hemp seed oil
- 1/8 cup avocado oil
- 1/8 cup jojoba oil
- 2 Tbsp. vitamin E oil
- 1/8 cup cocoa butter
- 1/8 cup avocado butter
- 1/8 cup mango butter
Place all ingredients in a double boiler until melted then pour into a jar. When cooled, heat treatment over a bowl of warm water and then gently massage into hair and scalp and leave on for 15-20 min. Rinse and cleanse as usual. Apply this treatment once a week for optimum results for soft, healthy hair. This is also a great as a sealant after you have applied your moisturizer.
What’s your favorite mango recipe?
