The Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a Gastroenterologist

Although we're supposed to shoot for 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, a recommendation based on our total calorie consumption, the average American only actually consumes about 10 to 15 grams per day, Harvard Medical School experts report.

And while it might seem more pressing to keep an eye on protein levels—or whatever appears to be the "hot" macronutrient of the moment—or try some other trendy diet, making an effort to eat enough fiber is never going out of style. That's because the health benefits of fiber suggest that it can have a beneficial impact on our gut health, digestion, bone strength, weight, risk for several chronic diseases and even our longevity.

We're not talking about suffering through glasses of water mixed with a chalky fiber supplement, though. You can score your daily dose from a wide variety of high-fiber foods. One of the most potent sources of fiber is actually a sweet, versatile and tasty fruit that's an EatingWell editor favorite. It turns out that the same fruit is also a gut-health doctor-recommended option and might just be the all-around best fruit for gut health, according to a recent Instagram reel from Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and the New York Times bestselling author of Fiber Fueled.

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The Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a Gastroenterologist

So what is the best fruit for gut health? Raspberries.

Related: Why Smoothies Are a More Gut-Healthy Choice Than Juice, According to a Gastroenterologist

"I'm a huge fan of raspberries … First off, they're friggin' delicious," Bulsiewicz shares in the caption. "I mean, seriously. They are like candy, how are they so healthy? But they are!"

He continues in the video itself: "They're super high in fiber. A cup of raspberries has about 7 grams of fiber—that's like half of what the average American is getting per day," he says, and the data backs that up. Only 5% of men and 9% of women score their recommended Rx of fiber, according to American Society for Nutrition estimates.

Bulsiewicz goes on to share more about the many health benefits of raspberries, including the fact that they're rich in nutrients like "vitamin C and polyphenol antioxidants … that are incredibly good for us," he adds. "Believe it or not, even though there's sugar in berries, berries have been shown to reduce our likelihood of developing [type 2] diabetes. And if you have [type 2] diabetes, they can help you to ultimately reverse it." (ICYMI, here's what nutrition experts say are the 4 most important steps to potentially reverse type 2.)

Lastly, Bulsiewicz loves that raspberries are high in fiber and low in FODMAPs, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. These specific types of carbs have been shown to exacerbate symptoms among those who have irritable bowel syndrome.

"In other words, if you have digestive issues and are rebuilding your gut, you should be enjoying raspberries," Bulsiewicz concludes.

Luckily, there are many ways you can do just that. The doctor adores raspberry toasts, raspberry salads, raspberry spritzers and raspberry smoothies. This time of year when fresh berries aren't exactly in season, we can't get enough of adding frozen berries to oatmeal cups, frozen yogurt bark and fruit crisps.

Related: What Is the Best Way to Store Fresh Berries?

The Bottom Line

There are several benefits of eating more raspberries, including helping you get closer to your fiber quota, promoting healthy digestion (even if you struggle with IBS), consuming more vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, supporting hydration and more. But keep in mind that raspberries shouldn't be your only source of fiber. One of the top five things you should do every day to improve your gut health (and overall health), Bulsiewicz says, is to eat a wide variety of plants, whole grains, healthy fats and protein.

In case you need a little inspiration about how to mix things up while feeding your microbiome, check out what a gastroenterologist eats in a day.