Chilled mango shakes are a popular drink during intense Indian heatwaves due to their cooling and nourishing qualities. But if you are drinking it in the morning without the right buffer for your stomach, then it can lead you to feel completely drained by the afternoon. This can occur due to reactive hypoglycemia or a post-sugar crash that happens due to the system reacting to the high sugar-rich mangoes and the cold temperature. The effect on internal health is based on research published in the Arabian Journal of Chemistry.

The main culprit behind this ill effect on your body is the sudden spike in blood sugar that causes a consistent rise in blood sugar levels. This is why rethinking the timing of consuming chilled mango shakes needs to be kept in mind. Furthermore, chilled mango shakes cause a fluctuation in internal body temperatures, which is in conflict with outside temperature; this affects how the gut processes the nutritional value.

The Science Behind Mango Milkshake Triggering A Blood Sugar Spike

Research published in the Frontiers of Nutrition details that a chilled mango shake doesn't have the fibre, which makes it readily absorbed by the gut. The blending aspect breaks down the cellular structure of the mango, which makes it a sugar trap.

  • A chilled mango shake is generally prepared using Alphonso, safeda, or banganapalli mangoes with the addition of cream, ice-cream, raising the glycemic load.
  • This massive influx of glucose forces the pancreas to pump out insulin rapidly. This rapidly clears glucose from the bloodstream, causing a sudden drop below baseline levels, leading directly to acute drowsiness.
  • Mango shake, when prepared with additions of heavy cream, milk, or ice cream, can make the liquid a high-sugar bomb. You need to consider the resulting blood sugar spike and tweak the time you consume it accordingly.

Research published in the Arabian Journal of Chemistry highlights that mango fruit and its components have positive effects on non-communicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer. This is why regulating and not eliminating its consumption is necessary.

Also Read: Don't Throw Away Mango Seeds This Summer! Doctor Explains How They Protect Your Skin In A Heatwave

Why Do I Feel Sleepy After Drinking Mango Shake? The Gut-Brain Connection

Research published in the European Journal of Nutrition highlights that the temperature and quality of the beverage that you consume affect brain functioning. What happens after drinking a chilled mango shake is that the heavy and calorie-dense (whole milk, mango and sugar) requires immense metabolic energy.

The body diverts blood flow away from the brain and skeletal muscles toward the digestive tract, inducing a sluggish midday slump after mango shake indulgence.

Consuming high-glycemic meals makes it easier for the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to increased serotonin and melatonin production.

Also Read: Starting Your Day With Banana Or Mango Shake? Pros And Cons Explained

How To Prevent Sugar Crash From Fruit Shakes

The body needs a buffer to absorb the sudden rise in blood sugar and processing of excess calories present in a chilled mango shake. In order to keep on consuming a chilled mango shake in summers without the sugar crash, you need to follow these tips:

  • Add Healthy Fats: Blend in a tablespoon of soaked almonds, walnuts, or chia seeds to act as a buffer to absorb the massive sugar load.
  • Introduce Lean Protein: Mix in a scoop of unsweetened protein powder or unflavored Greek yogurt to slow gastric emptying.
  • Keep The Fiber Intact: Do not over-blend the mixture into a micro-liquid; leave some pulp texture, or better yet, transition to eating whole sliced mangoes paired with a handful of nuts.
  • Eliminate External Sweeteners: Rely solely on the natural sweetness of the ripe fruit. Swap full-fat dairy for unsweetened almond or coconut milk to lower the heavy digestive load.

Furthermore, the research published in the Journal of Food and Agricultural Research highlights that converting the form of the ingredients to prepare the mango shake can differ from a nutritional standpoint. So, the kind of ingredients used to prepare the mango shake can have varying effects on your blood sugar levels.

In addition, the research published in the Materials Science Forum details that mango fruit was comprised of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats), dietary fibre, and phenolic compounds.

Midday summer fatigue can happen when the timing of the sugar load from increasing foods is out of sync with your internal metabolism clock. You need to consume such foods in a way that you can avoid sudden increases in blood sugar levels.



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