Although we’re supposed to shoot for 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, according to the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, more than 90% of women and 97% of men are not meeting this recommendation.And while it might seem more pressing to keep an eye onhow much proteinyou’re eating—or whatever appears to be the “hot” macronutrient of the moment—making an effort to eat enough fiber is never going out of style. This is becauseevidence suggests eating enough fibercan benefit several areas of our health—including gut health, digestion, bone strength, weight, risk for several chronic diseases and even 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 ofhigh-fiber foods.Getty ImagesThe Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a GastroenterologistOne of the most potent sources of fiber is a sweet, versatile, tasty fruit that’s anEatingWelleditor favorite. It turns out that the same fruit is also a gut-health doctor-recommended option and might be the all-around best fruit for gut health, according to a February 8, 2023, Instagram reel fromWill Bulsiewicz, M.D., a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and theNew York Timesbestselling author ofFiber Fueled.So what is the best fruit for gut health? Raspberries.“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!“In the reel, Bulsiewicz continues, “They’re super high in fiber. A cup of raspberries has about 7 g of fiber—that’s like half of what the average American is getting per day.“Bulsiewicz goes on to share more about the manyhealth benefits of raspberries, including them being 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 four most important steps to potentially reverse type 2.)Why Smoothies Are a More Gut-Healthy Choice than Juice, According to a GastroenterologistLastly, Bulsiewicz loves that raspberries are high in fiber and low inFODMAPs—fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. While many of these specific types of carbs are beneficial for people with healthy guts, they have been shown to exacerbate symptoms among those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).“In other words, if you have digestive issues and are rebuilding your gut, you should be enjoying raspberries,” concludes Bulsiewicz.Thankfully, there are many ways you can do just that. The doctor adoresraspberry toasts, raspberry salads, raspberry spritzers andraspberry smoothies.At the time of year when fresh berries aren’t in season, we can’t get enough of adding frozen berries tooatmeal cups,frozen yogurt barkand fruit crisps.What Is the Best Way to Store Fresh Berries?The Bottom LineEating raspberries has several benefits, includingadding to your fiber quota, promoting healthy digestion (even if you struggle with IBS), consuming more vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, 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 and overall health, says Bulsiewicz, 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 outwhat a gastroenterologist eats in a day.Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Although we’re supposed to shoot for 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, according to the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, more than 90% of women and 97% of men are not meeting this recommendation.And while it might seem more pressing to keep an eye onhow much proteinyou’re eating—or whatever appears to be the “hot” macronutrient of the moment—making an effort to eat enough fiber is never going out of style. This is becauseevidence suggests eating enough fibercan benefit several areas of our health—including gut health, digestion, bone strength, weight, risk for several chronic diseases and even 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 ofhigh-fiber foods.Getty ImagesThe Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a GastroenterologistOne of the most potent sources of fiber is a sweet, versatile, tasty fruit that’s anEatingWelleditor favorite. It turns out that the same fruit is also a gut-health doctor-recommended option and might be the all-around best fruit for gut health, according to a February 8, 2023, Instagram reel fromWill Bulsiewicz, M.D., a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and theNew York Timesbestselling author ofFiber Fueled.So what is the best fruit for gut health? Raspberries.“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!“In the reel, Bulsiewicz continues, “They’re super high in fiber. A cup of raspberries has about 7 g of fiber—that’s like half of what the average American is getting per day.“Bulsiewicz goes on to share more about the manyhealth benefits of raspberries, including them being 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 four most important steps to potentially reverse type 2.)Why Smoothies Are a More Gut-Healthy Choice than Juice, According to a GastroenterologistLastly, Bulsiewicz loves that raspberries are high in fiber and low inFODMAPs—fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. While many of these specific types of carbs are beneficial for people with healthy guts, they have been shown to exacerbate symptoms among those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).“In other words, if you have digestive issues and are rebuilding your gut, you should be enjoying raspberries,” concludes Bulsiewicz.Thankfully, there are many ways you can do just that. The doctor adoresraspberry toasts, raspberry salads, raspberry spritzers andraspberry smoothies.At the time of year when fresh berries aren’t in season, we can’t get enough of adding frozen berries tooatmeal cups,frozen yogurt barkand fruit crisps.What Is the Best Way to Store Fresh Berries?The Bottom LineEating raspberries has several benefits, includingadding to your fiber quota, promoting healthy digestion (even if you struggle with IBS), consuming more vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, 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 and overall health, says Bulsiewicz, 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 outwhat a gastroenterologist eats in a day.
Although we’re supposed to shoot for 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day, according to the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, more than 90% of women and 97% of men are not meeting this recommendation.
And while it might seem more pressing to keep an eye onhow much proteinyou’re eating—or whatever appears to be the “hot” macronutrient of the moment—making an effort to eat enough fiber is never going out of style. This is becauseevidence suggests eating enough fibercan benefit several areas of our health—including gut health, digestion, bone strength, weight, risk for several chronic diseases and even 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 ofhigh-fiber foods.
Getty Images
The Best Fruit for Your Gut Health, According to a Gastroenterologist
One of the most potent sources of fiber is a sweet, versatile, tasty fruit that’s anEatingWelleditor favorite. It turns out that the same fruit is also a gut-health doctor-recommended option and might be the all-around best fruit for gut health, according to a February 8, 2023, Instagram reel fromWill Bulsiewicz, M.D., a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and theNew York Timesbestselling author ofFiber Fueled.
So what is the best fruit for gut health? Raspberries.
“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!”
In the reel, Bulsiewicz continues, “They’re super high in fiber. A cup of raspberries has about 7 g of fiber—that’s like half of what the average American is getting per day.”
Bulsiewicz goes on to share more about the manyhealth benefits of raspberries, including them being 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 four most important steps to potentially reverse type 2.)
Why Smoothies Are a More Gut-Healthy Choice than Juice, According to a Gastroenterologist
Lastly, Bulsiewicz loves that raspberries are high in fiber and low inFODMAPs—fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. While many of these specific types of carbs are beneficial for people with healthy guts, they have been shown to exacerbate symptoms among those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
“In other words, if you have digestive issues and are rebuilding your gut, you should be enjoying raspberries,” concludes Bulsiewicz.
Thankfully, there are many ways you can do just that. The doctor adoresraspberry toasts, raspberry salads, raspberry spritzers andraspberry smoothies.At the time of year when fresh berries aren’t in season, we can’t get enough of adding frozen berries tooatmeal cups,frozen yogurt barkand fruit crisps.
What Is the Best Way to Store Fresh Berries?
The Bottom Line
Eating raspberries has several benefits, includingadding to your fiber quota, promoting healthy digestion (even if you struggle with IBS), consuming more vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, 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 and overall health, says Bulsiewicz, 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 outwhat a gastroenterologist eats in a day.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
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