Dietician Discusses Potential Benefits Of African Mango

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Doctor Oz called it a "miracle in your medicine cabinet" that can help you lose 10 pounds.

Now, it's the hottest diet pill.

It's called African Mango, but what is it and how does it work?

Deep inside the fruit is the seed that holds the so-called "miracle" properties.

The claims are that you can lose up to 28 pounds in 10 weeks, increase your metabolism and control your appetite.

"It has an effect on leptin and graylin. And letpin and graylin are actually the chemicals that control hunger and appetite," UPMC Dietician Leslie Bonci said.

Bonci said the African Mango seed is a soluble fiber and that may be why it could lower cholesterol and suppress appetite.

"When you have something that is staying in the gut for a long period of time, you feel fuller for longer. So, there is that potential that somebody might eat less over the course of the day because they're not as hungry," Bonci said.

However, Bonci cautions the claims are based on studies conducted by the same researcher and were funded by the people with the patent.

Unbiased research still needs to be done.

Is it a miracle in the medicine cabinet?

"At the end of the day, you just take a product and all the weight is [going to] melt off the body? I wish, but it doesn't work that way," Bonci said.

African Mango is not cheap either.

A bottle of Mangodrin from GNC costs $50. If you take two pills a day as recommended, it will last for one month.

Bonci said if it's the soluble fiber that's at work, you can get it a lot cheaper in beans, fruits and vegetables.

However, if you want to give it a try, it is pretty harmless. Just don't think you can eat anything you want.

"If someone is able to see some blood glucose lowering and blood lipid lowering as a result, by all means try it. But, I still think it is important that even if people think they are going to put this in their diet, let's pay attention to what we're eating," Bonci said.

Bonci said because of the fiber, anyone with pre-existing digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or colitis, should be careful.

Also, be cautious if you take medication at the same time because it could impact the absorption in the body.

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