By Saheed Ibrahim
Mango is one of the seasonal fruits in Nigeria and loved by both young and old. The fruit can be eaten or used to make juice.
Despite its contribution to health and well-being, there are certain myths surrounding the fruit. There is an age-long myth that eating Mango after drinking garri can lead to death. This myth, we carry in our hearts from infancy till now, without any plausible explanation regarding it.
Recently, there is a new myth surrounding the fruit as its new season begins. Multiple accounts on social media, especially Facebook, claim that drinking cold drinks after eating mango can cause instant death.
The claim was widely circulated on several WhatsApp groups and statuses. One of the viral posts on WhatsApp reads:
“Do not drink cold drinks after eating mango! Some travellers had gone to Chandigarh for sightseeing; they immediately drank cold drinks after eating mango. They started feeling restless, and they all started fainting. They were all admitted to the hospital, where they were declared brought in dead. The doctor said that after eating mango, do not drink any cold drinks or soft drinks. The citric acid in mango and carbonic acid in cold drinks are mixed together to produce poison in the body. Please forward this message to all your loved ones. Presently, the mango season has started.”
Due to the post’s virality and implications on public health, The Hope conducted a fact-check
Verification
Using keywords on Google search, we found that the claim had been circulating on the internet as early as 2017 and that it had been circulated in other countries, such as Bangladesh and India, some years ago.
However, we found that the claim had been debunked by several reports as false in Bangladesh and India, where the myth emanated from.
There was no any official report from the World Health Organization, WHO or other health organisations stating that drinking cold drinks after consuming mango is fatal.
Expert Opinions
We contacted health experts to verify the claim. A former Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association of Nigeria, Ondo State Chapter, Dr Gbelela Dolani, said the claim is false. In his words, “That cannot be true.” He said he is not aware of any fatality that can erupt after taking cold drinks immediately after eating mango.
A Clinical Dietician at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Ms Bukola Arowolo, also said no scientific evidence backs such a claim and described it as baseless.
Also, a nutritionist, Mrs Modupe Aiyegbusi, shared a similar opinion with other experts. Ms Aiyegbusi said it is advisable to drink ordinary water rather than cold water after eating any food. She, however, stressed that taking any cold drink after eating mango has not been proven to cause death.
Conclusion
The claim that drinking cold drinks after eating mango can cause death is false. Experts said no official report or scientific evidence backs the claim.