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Mango vs. Papaya — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on May 19, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
Mango
vs
Papaya

Summary

Mangos have a lower glycemic index and calories. Mango is richer in copper, vitamin K, A, and folate. On the other hand, papaya is richer in vitamin C and water. Papayas are cheaper. Papayas interact with more medications than mangos.

Introduction

This article will compare two popular tropical fruits - mango and papaya. Scroll down to the corresponding sections to find out the differences between raw types of these fruits. 

Actual differences

Mango is a tropical stone fruit. It's native to the tropical regions of South Asia. They are now grown throughout the tropical parts of southern America. The scientific name for mango is Mangifera Indica

Mangoes have a particular aroma, flavor, and texture. The stone is surrounded by a fleshy portion that ranges from orange to yellow colors. This is the edible part of mangos.

They are regarded as luxury fruit because of their seasonal availability and cultivation delicacy. They are cultivated in tropical climates. Mangos are usually available in the summer season. 

Papaya is a pear-shaped fruit native to the Caribbean and Central American tropical regions. They are seasonally available and are considered luxury fruits.

Similar to mangos, they have orange to yellow-colored flesh, which is the edible part of papaya. Other than the flesh, the seeds are also used in the culinary world, in contrast to mango seeds. Even though both of these fruits are seasonally available and considered luxury fruits, papaya is cheaper than mangos.

This article will compare mango and papaya, focusing on nutritional content, weight loss and diet impacts, and health impacts.

Does mango taste like papaya?

Ripe mangos have a sweet flavor. They taste almost like melon, with some citrus notes in the flavor. A ripe papaya has kind of a similar taste, but it is not as sweet as a mango. Besides, papaya has a buttery texture, while mango's flesh is more solid

Because of the enzyme called papain, papaya has a pungent, musky smell. In contrast, mango has a soft, fruity, rich, and sweet aroma. 

Culinary world

Mangos can be used in a variety of recipes throughout cultures. Unripe mangos are pickled in Bangladesh. They're also utilized in Indian cuisine to make main courses. Mangos are used to make jam, compotes, desserts, and juice, as well as being consumed raw. They are a popular ingredient in fruit salads, as well.

Papayas are famously consumed in South Asian and South American cuisines in a variety of ways. They are also consumed as juice or raw.

Nutritional data

Macronutrients

This article will examine the differences between the nutritional contents of 100g servings of raw mangos and raw papayas. As you can see in the infographic below, papaya is slightly richer in water, containing 88% of water, while mango has 83% of it. The chart also indicates that mango is higher in carbs. Let's find out the differences in detail in the corresponding sections.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Mango
3
:
2
Papaya
Contains more Protein +74.5%
Contains more Fats +46.2%
Contains more Carbs +38.4%
Equal in Water - 88.06
Equal in Other - 0.39
15% 83%
Protein: 0.82 g
Fats: 0.38 g
Carbs: 14.98 g
Water: 83.46 g
Other: 0.36 g
11% 88%
Protein: 0.47 g
Fats: 0.26 g
Carbs: 10.82 g
Water: 88.06 g
Other: 0.39 g
Contains more Protein +74.5%
Contains more Fats +46.2%
Contains more Carbs +38.4%
Equal in Water - 88.06
Equal in Other - 0.39

Carbs

Mango has a higher carbohydrate content compared to papaya. Mango provides up to 5% of the daily carbohydrate requirement. Mango is higher in sucrose and fructose, while papaya is 2 times richer in glucose

Fiber

They have equal quantities of fiber despite having varying quantities of carbs. Both provide 8% of the recommended daily fiber intake.

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Mango
2
:
1
Papaya
Contains more Sucrose +∞%
Contains more Fructose +25.5%
Contains more Glucose +103.5%
51% 15% 34%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 6.97 g
Glucose: 2.01 g
Fructose: 4.68 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0 g
Galactose: 0 g
52% 48%
Starch: 0 g
Sucrose: 0 g
Glucose: 4.09 g
Fructose: 3.73 g
Lactose: 0 g
Maltose: 0 g
Galactose: 0 g
Contains more Sucrose +∞%
Contains more Fructose +25.5%
Contains more Glucose +103.5%

Proteins and fats

Both mango and papaya have negligible amounts of protein and fat.

Glycemic index

Mangos have a lower glycemic index compared to papaya. Mangos are categorized as low glycemic index foods, whereas papaya is categorized as medium glycemic index food. In numbers, mango has a GI of 51, while papaya's GI equals 59. Find out more about the GI values of different foods in our glycemic index chart.

Calories

Mango is higher in calories compared to papaya: mango provides 17 calories more. Both are categorized as low-calorie foods.

Vitamins

Mango is richer in folate, vitamin A, and K compared to papayas. On the other hand, papaya is richer in Vitamin C.

Based on 300g of each food, both satisfy the daily requirement of vitamin C. However, papaya is richer in Vitamin C, containing 60.9 mg of it per 100g. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Mango
9
:
1
Papaya
Contains more Vitamin A +13.9%
Contains more Vitamin E +200%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +21.7%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +40.7%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +87.4%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +213.2%
Contains more Folate +16.2%
Contains more Vitamin K +61.5%
Contains more Vitamin C +67.3%
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.191
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 65% 19% 0% 122% 7% 9% 13% 12% 28% 33% 0% 11%
Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 57% 6% 0% 203% 6% 7% 7% 12% 9% 28% 0% 7%
Contains more Vitamin A +13.9%
Contains more Vitamin E +200%
Contains more Vitamin B1 +21.7%
Contains more Vitamin B2 +40.7%
Contains more Vitamin B3 +87.4%
Contains more Vitamin B6 +213.2%
Contains more Folate +16.2%
Contains more Vitamin K +61.5%
Contains more Vitamin C +67.3%
Equal in Vitamin B5 - 0.191

Minerals

Both fruits don't have peculiar mineral profiles. However, we can say that mango is notably rich in copper.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Mango
5
:
4
Papaya
Contains more Phosphorus +40%
Contains less Sodium -87.5%
Contains more Zinc +12.5%
Contains more Copper +146.7%
Contains more Manganese +57.5%
Contains more Calcium +81.8%
Contains more Iron +56.3%
Contains more Magnesium +110%
Equal in Potassium - 182
Equal in Selenium - 0.6
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 4% 6% 8% 6% 15% 1% 3% 37% 9% 4%
Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 6% 10% 15% 5% 17% 2% 3% 15% 6% 4%
Contains more Phosphorus +40%
Contains less Sodium -87.5%
Contains more Zinc +12.5%
Contains more Copper +146.7%
Contains more Manganese +57.5%
Contains more Calcium +81.8%
Contains more Iron +56.3%
Contains more Magnesium +110%
Equal in Potassium - 182
Equal in Selenium - 0.6

Weight loss and diets

Mangoes are recommended as part of a weight-loss diet. They're great for swapping out sweet treats like chocolate. Mangos are low in calories, with most of their weight made up of water, and are high in fiber, so they keep you satiated for longer.

Papaya is also recommended as part of weight-loss programs. They're mostly made up of water, have few calories, and are high in fiber. They can substitute sugary snacks, blend into smoothies, or combine with oatmeal for breakfast.

Both of these fruits are helpful for weight loss and should be included in weight-loss diets.

Vegan

Vegans can consume mangos and papayas without any restrictions in vegan diets.

Keto

Mango and papaya are restricted from the keto diet because their carbohydrate content is too high for the carbohydrate allowance in keto diets.

Alkaline diets

People who follow alkaline diets can consume the seeds of papayas instead of black pepper.

Health impacts

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan

Mango and papaya have beneficial effects on blood pressure control. According to this study, long-term consumption of mangoes may decrease systolic blood pressure (1)According to this rat study, papaya probably contains antihypertensive agents that primarily inhibit the alpha-adrenoceptors (like Doxazosin (Cardura); Prazosin (Minipress); Terazosin), which are essential for decreasing arterial blood pressure (2).

The results from this study have shown that mango and papaya can significantly decrease plasma total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, which is important for people with coronary heart disease and for people who have had a myocardial infarction (3,4). Besides, this property inhibits plaque formation and decreases the risk of atherosclerosis development and heart attacks. 

Both of these may help to prevent thrombogenesis, which is important for people who have atrial fibrillation and other diseases which increase the risk of thrombosis (5,6).

Diabetes

Mango consumption is linked to lower blood glucose levels and better blood glucose homeostasis in obese people. Obese people have a lower risk of having type 2 diabetes as a result of this (7).

Papayas are associated with decreased risk of obesity and the development of metabolic disorders. Thus, in turn, reducing the risks of developing type 2 diabetes (5).

Cancer

Fruits like papayas and mangos have been linked to a 32 percent reduction in the chance of developing cancer.

Mangos are high in polyphenolic chemicals, which have anti-carcinogenic properties and therefore lower the risk of cancer (8) (9).

Papaya extracts have apoptotic and anti-carcinogenic activity on various types of cancer cells. Papaya extracts have good effects on liver, prostate, breast, skin, blood, and colon cancers (10).

Antioxidant

Mango contains powerful antioxidants such as phenolic chemicals and ascorbic acid. Mangiferin is an antioxidant present in mangos that has anti-scavenging abilities in addition to phenolic chemicals and ascorbic acid. Mangos have excellent antioxidative characteristics that protect tissues from oxidative stress and free radicals. As a result, it protects against a range of diseases and boosts the immune system (11) (12).

Papaya extract has been shown to have antioxidative and immunostimulatory characteristics on stress-induced oxidative stress. Overall reducing the risks of various diseases (13). One of the most widespread cognitive problems - Alzheimer's disease, is associated with oxidative damage in the brain (14). A study shows that fermented papaya extract consumption has shown beneficial effects on people with Alzheimer's due to DNA damage reduction (15). 

Eye Health

Mango is especially rich in a group of antioxidants called carotenoids. These chemicals are essential for maintaining the eye health. Mango contains significant amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin (16). These are carotenoids that absorb the excess amounts of sunlight in the retina and protect the eyes from dangerous blue light (17). 

Mango also contains beta-carotene and lycopene (18). The first one is a carotenoid that turns into vitamin A in our body, essential for eye health, due to nighttime blindness and corneal scarry prevention (19). Lycopene is a non-provitamin A carotenoid, which prevents the development of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (20) (21).

Drug interactions

Warfarin and various anticoagulants interact with mangos and papayas. They alter the way warfarin functions.

In addition to that, papayas also interact with anti-arrhythmic drugs (22) (23) (24).

In conclusion, you should be careful while consuming these fruits if you take any of the medicines mentioned above. 

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Education: Haigazian Medical University
Last updated: May 19, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Infographic

Mango vs Papaya infographic
Infographic link

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Mango
2
:
1
Papaya
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +94.4%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +22.4%
Contains less Saturated Fat -12%
30% 46% 23%
Saturated Fat: 0.092 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.14 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.071 g
38% 34% 27%
Saturated Fat: 0.081 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.072 g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.058 g
Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +94.4%
Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +22.4%
Contains less Saturated Fat -12%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Mango Papaya
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Lower in price ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal
Rich in minerals Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Mango Papaya Opinion
Net carbs 13.38g 9.12g Mango
Protein 0.82g 0.47g Mango
Fats 0.38g 0.26g Mango
Carbs 14.98g 10.82g Mango
Calories 60kcal 43kcal Mango
Fructose 4.68g 3.73g Mango
Sugar 13.66g 7.82g Papaya
Fiber 1.6g 1.7g Papaya
Calcium 11mg 20mg Papaya
Iron 0.16mg 0.25mg Papaya
Magnesium 10mg 21mg Papaya
Phosphorus 14mg 10mg Mango
Potassium 168mg 182mg Papaya
Sodium 1mg 8mg Mango
Zinc 0.09mg 0.08mg Mango
Copper 0.111mg 0.045mg Mango
Manganese 0.063mg 0.04mg Mango
Selenium 0.6µg 0.6µg
Vitamin A 1082IU 950IU Mango
Vitamin A RAE 54µg 47µg Mango
Vitamin E 0.9mg 0.3mg Mango
Vitamin C 36.4mg 60.9mg Papaya
Vitamin B1 0.028mg 0.023mg Mango
Vitamin B2 0.038mg 0.027mg Mango
Vitamin B3 0.669mg 0.357mg Mango
Vitamin B5 0.197mg 0.191mg Mango
Vitamin B6 0.119mg 0.038mg Mango
Folate 43µg 37µg Mango
Vitamin K 4.2µg 2.6µg Mango
Tryptophan 0.013mg 0.008mg Mango
Threonine 0.031mg 0.011mg Mango
Isoleucine 0.029mg 0.008mg Mango
Leucine 0.05mg 0.016mg Mango
Lysine 0.066mg 0.025mg Mango
Methionine 0.008mg 0.002mg Mango
Phenylalanine 0.027mg 0.009mg Mango
Valine 0.042mg 0.01mg Mango
Histidine 0.019mg 0.005mg Mango
Saturated Fat 0.092g 0.081g Papaya
Monounsaturated Fat 0.14g 0.072g Mango
Polyunsaturated fat 0.071g 0.058g Mango

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Mango Papaya
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Calories diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
26%
Mango
28%
Papaya
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
9%
Mango
8%
Papaya

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Papaya
Papaya is lower in Sugar (difference - 5.84g)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Papaya
Papaya is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.011g)
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Papaya
Papaya is lower in glycemic index (difference - 13)
Which food is cheaper?
Papaya
Papaya is cheaper (difference - $0.1)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Mango
Mango contains less Sodium (difference - 7mg)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Mango
Mango is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
Which food is richer in minerals?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Mango - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169910/nutrients
  2. Papaya - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169926/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.