MANGOES could help you lose weight and stay slim – but only if you eat the skin you would normally throw away, a study suggests.

In tests, extracts from mango skin appeared to ‘inhibit the development of human fat cells’.

The secret is in phytochemicals that act as natural fat busters and are found only on the outside of the fruit, according to researchers in Australia.

'Fat busters': Eating mango slices with the skin on could help keep the weight off

Professor Mike Gidley, of the University of Queensland, said: ‘We know mangoes have many excellent nutritional properties but more work needs to be done to understand the complex natural compounds found in these and other fruits.

‘This research reminds us that we should be looking at the whole fruit when considering how to take advantage of natural goodness.’

The study could lead to the development of a supplement to fight obesity.

Slim: Researchers believe the study could lead to the development of a supplement to help people lose weight

It is the second time in a week that Australian researchers have published findings which could help people lose weight.

Researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School Of Medicine found that simply removing yourself from the couch will make you eat less junk food.

Their study found that focusing on avoiding the couch rather than on losing weight will help reduce a person's 'saturated fat intake without even trying'.

The project, recorded in the Archives Of Internal Medicine, looked at 204 adults who were each assigned a lifestyle 'treatment' for three weeks.

The participants, of whom 40 per cent were not considered overweight, were each paid to stick to one of four treatments.

They included increasing fruit and vegetable intake and exercise, decreasing fat and sedentary leisure, decreasing fat and increasing exercise and increasing fat and sedentary behaviour.

The participants were asked to report their progress and thoughts and, when the three weeks were over, researchers found that five in six had tried to stick to their newly adopted behavioural changes.

'Natural goodness': Researchers say we should look at the whole fruit when considering how to stay healthy