When it comes to weight-loss wonders, there will always be certain foods. The latest super-food to join the line-up comes in the form of West African fruit irvingia gabonensis, commonly known as the African mango, Reuters reports.

Research conducted at Cameroon’s University of Yaoundé, reports a test group of 102 overweight adults was given extracts of the fruit or a placebo two times a day over a 10-week period. No other changes to the individuals’ diets or existing levels of activity were altered.

Come the end of the test period, those administered with the fruit extract showed a marked weight loss — on average 12 kilograms — in comparison to people in the placebo group who showed no change.

The plant’s ability to help shift excess weight has been a long-held idea but this is the first clinical study of its true effects.

The findings may be the first solid foray into research but according to the research team led by Dr Julius E Oben, the findings “provide impetus for much larger clinical studies”.

Until the African mango hits our supermarket shelves, check out our top 40 wonder foods and our top 10 slimming groceries (all locally available)!