15 Best Fruits for Gut Health
The key to a healthy gut is following a diet that supports a diverse gut microbiome, promotes digestion, and minimises inflammation.
Although you should be consuming the best vegetables for gut health as well, fruits play a crucial role in balancing the microbiome and hosting new strains of healthy bacteria.
Here are the 15 best fruits for supporting a healthy gut:
Many people believe that fruit should be consumed sparingly due to its high sugar content. However, not all sugar affects the gut the same. Incorporating these fruits into your diet is a tasty and healthy way to keep your gut flora happy and thriving!
1. Pears
As you may know, fibre plays a huge role in supporting gut health. And you know what fruit is incredibly high in fibre? Pears! A single medium-sized pear will pack an incredible 5.5 grams of fibre, beating other similar fruits like apples and quinces.
Introducing pears into your diet is extremely easy. Pears are incredibly versatile, so you can eat them in savoury meals like salads or take advantage of their naturally sweet taste. You can:
- Eat them on their own as a tasty snack.
- Add them to your favourite salads.
- Make some oatmeal with pears and cinnamon.
- Have a baked pear with brown sugar for dessert.
- Make a toast with pear, honey, and pistachios. Use sourdough bread for extra gut points!
2. Bananas
Bananas are known to be one of the best foods for improving digestion–and rightfully so! With one medium banana coming in at 3 grams of fibre, you can count on this mushy fruit to keep your gut microbiome happy (and moving!).
On top of containing a significant amount of fibre, bananas also contain plenty of other essential nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate. Best of all? Bananas are one of the most versatile fruits and can be very easily added to your diet! Here are a few ideas:
- Mash a ripe banana into your oatmeal.
- Cut up a banana and add it to whole-wheat cereal.
- Make a loaf of low-sugar banana bread.
- Blend it up in a smoothie for added creaminess.
- Freeze bananas and blend them up with maple syrup to make banana “nice cream.”
With all these yummy ways to eat bananas, what’s not to like about this superfruit?
3. Apples
You know the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But why does it? Well, one of the biggest reasons is–you guessed it–fibre! Apples are very high in fibre content, making them an excellent fruit for gut health.
One medium apple contains 3 grams of fibre, which will help you digest food more easily and even lose weight. Additionally, apples contain many essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, potassium, and more. No wonder consuming one a day will boost your immune system!
Here are some fun ways to add more apples to your diet:
- Slice them up and dip them in peanut butter.
- Make a classic apple pie with plenty of apples.
- Roast your apples to bring out their sweetness.
- Dice them up and make a tasty fruit salad.
- Make your own apple sauce and enjoy it with a spoon or in other recipes!
4. Blueberries
Blueberries are incredibly powerful little fruits that come with a whole host of health benefits. For starters, blueberries contain a whopping 5 grams of fibre per cup, beating other fruits on this list like apples and bananas. A known prebiotic, blueberries are very effective at fostering a positive environment for the good bacteria in your gut.
If that wasn’t enough, blueberries also reduce inflammation and help regulate glucose. Both of these are extremely helpful for gut health and overall health, so you should seriously consider upping your blueberry intake if you want to support your health!
Some fun ways to introduce blueberries to your diet are:
- Add them to your whole-wheat cereal.
- Bake some tasty blueberry muffins at home. Bonus points if you use sourdough!
- Top greek yoghurt with blueberries for a tasty snack.
- Freeze them in ice cubes and add them to your favourite drinks.
And, of course, you can blend them up in a smoothie. Blueberries are some of the most common ingredients in smoothies, so you should definitely consider making a tasty blueberry smoothie to supercharge your gut. Need some inspiration? Check out our article with the 14 best smoothie recipes for gut health.
5. Kiwis
Kiwi fruit is an incredibly nutrient-dense food that contains up to 5 grams of fibre. Though the flesh of the kiwi is very nutritious, most people make a painful mistake: discard the skin. Kiwi skin is perfectly edible and much more nutritionally dense than the flesh. If the thought of eating the furry kiwi skin, just think of it like peaches! Their skin is similar and yet most people won’t bat an eyelash when eating a juicy peach!
Another fun fact about kiwis is that they actually contain plenty of serotonin–you know, the “happy hormone.” This is important not only for keeping you happy but also for keeping your gut microbiome happy. New research shows the intricate yet close relationship between the gut and the brain, which is often referred to as the gut-brain axis. So, keeping yourself happy will likely have a positive impact on how balanced your gut microbiome is!
Here are some fun ways to add more kiwis to your diet:
- Slice them up and make a colourful fruit salad.
- Blend them up into your favourite green smoothie.
- Make a tropical kiwi salsa with mango, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice.
- Make a kiwi parfait with greek yoghurt.
6. Peaches
Peaches are another sweet and tasty fruit that can easily be confused for a cheat treat. However, even the juiciest and sweetest peaches can be extremely healthy. With 2 grams of fibre for one medium peach, you will be getting a nice helping of fibre to keep your gut microbiota well-fed.
On top of fibre, peaches also support a stronger immune system, help reduce inflammation and even lower cholesterol. Peaches are also a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Peaches are very fun and easy to include in your diet. Here are some great options:
- Slice peaches and serve with greek yoghurt.
- Have peaches and cottage cheese for breakfast.
- Munch on their own as a tasty and portable snack.
- Add to arugula to make the perfect summer salad.
7. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is considered by many to be the holy grail of dieting, but it can be a fantastic addition to your diet even if you’re not trying to lose weight. A single medium-sized grapefruit comes in at 4 grams of fibre per serving, which makes it a very high-fibre fruit.
Grapefruits are also packed with nutrients, containing significant amounts of:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Thiamine
- Folate
- Magnesium
Consuming grapefruit regularly could greatly improve your digestive health, support a healthy gut, and increase your immune system.
Here are some of the best ways to eat grapefruit:
- Slice it in half and scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon!
- Make a summer grapefruit salad with spinach and feta cheese.
- Mix it up with other colourful and gut-friendly fruits like kiwi and blueberries in a fruit salad.
- Blend up the flesh of a grapefruit in your favorite smoothie.
Although grapefruit juice can also be extremely tasty and nutritious, you should always eat the flesh of the grapefruit if you’re looking to maximise your gut benefits. That’s where all the fibre is!
8. Pomegranate
Pomegranates are funny-looking fruits that can be an incredibly helpful addition to your diet. A medium-sized pomegranate contains 3 grams of fibre, making it an excellent fruit to keep your digestive system moving.
On top of having a significant amount of fibre, pomegranates are especially beneficial to your gut as they are packed with prebiotic polyphenols. These compounds have been shown to boost the production of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium microorganisms in your gut flora.
There are countless tasty ways to easily incorporate pomegranates into your diet:
- Toss the seeds into your salad.
- Top your hummus with extra virgin olive oil and pomegranate seeds.
- Roast cauliflower with turmeric and top with pomegranates and cilantro.
- Make a greek yoghurt parfait with pomegranate seeds.
9. Raspberries
Although probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fibre, raspberries pack an incredible punch with 8 grams of fibre per cup. In fact, raspberries top the fruit list in a Mayo Clinic report on high-fibre foods! If you’re looking to maximize your fibre consumption quickly, there is no better way to do so than with raspberries.
On top of being incredibly fibre-rich, raspberries also contain omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and manganese, which helps regulate blood sugar and keep your bones strong. Plus, they are some of the tastiest berries out there with a naturally-sweet flavour. What’s not to like about raspberries?
Here are some of the best ways to eat raspberries:
- On their own as a snack. Just give them a wash and enjoy!
- Add as a garnish for your sparkling water.
- Make raspberry popsicles for the summer.
- With yoghurt, cereal, or oatmeal.
- As a raspberry puree to top your grilled fish or shrimp.
10. Grapes
Grapes are incredibly healthful snacks in all of their colours and variations. No matter your preference, you can trust that these little fruits will be packed with fibre and other healthful nutrients. A cup of seedless grapes contains 1.4 grams of fibre.
And, if you prefer to drink your grapes rather than eat them, you’ll be pleased to know that moderate consumption of red wine can be beneficial for your gut health! A 2019 study from Kings College London found that individuals who drank red wine regularly had a more diverse gut microbiota than those who did not drink red wine. However, make sure not to overdo it, as alcohol can be detrimental to gut health!
Beyond red wine, here are some excellent ways to easily increase your grape consumption:
- Put them in a freezer and have frozen grapes as a snack.
- Cut them in half and top your favourite chicken, tuna or pasta salad.
- Make a veggie “charcuterie” board with grapes, figs, and nuts.
- Make fruit kabobs with grapes, strawberries, and pineapple.
11. Pineapples
Pineapples are loaded with nutrients. Not only are they some of the sweetest fruits out there, but they also contain an impressive amount of essential nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants. It even contains 2.3 grams of fibre per cup, making it an excellent fruit for a healthy gut.
Some of the nutrients you can expect from consuming one cup of pineapple are:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Manganese
- Folate
- Thiamine
- Copper
- Niacin
- Riboflavin
And that’s just to name a few!
You can enjoy this refreshing and juicy fruit in a number of ways. Here are some of our favourites:
- In a tasty Thai-inspired pineapple fried rice.
- Chopped up into squares with cilantro, onion, tomatoes, and lime juice as salsa.
- Grilled pineapple rounds in your favourite burger or sandwich.
- Blended up with water, basil, and sweetener for a healthy pineapple agua fresca.
12. Prunes
Prunes are simply dried plums and are usually associated with special yoghurts for digestion. Although this is somewhat of a stereotype, one thing is for sure: prunes can keep your digestive tract moving. A single serving of prunes contains 2 grams of fibre.
However, prunes contain a special substance called sorbitol that has been shown to have laxative effects. Prunes are so effective at relieving your digestive system, in fact, that they have been shown to be more effective than other common constipation treatment options, such as psyllium.
If all you can think of when you hear the word prunes is yoghurt advertised for the elderly with constipation issues, we have a few options for you to eat prunes without resembling your grandma:
- Blend them up into your favourite smoothie. You won’t even know they’re there!
- Stuff a prune with some goat cheese and top with honey for an elegant appetiser.
- Make a warm and tasty Moroccan-inspired couscous with prunes and cashews.
- Make a fall roasted butternut squash salad with prunes, arugula, and red onion.
13. Figs
Figs are another potent digestive aid that should be a staple of your regular diet. Just 100 grams of raw figs contain 2.9 grams of dietary fibre, whereas 100 grams of dried figs contain a jaw-dropping 9.8 grams of fibre. That's almost 10% in fibre content!
On top of being extremely good at helping your body digest food, figs are also:
- Potent antioxidants.
- Effective anti-cancer foods.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Effective at reducing body fat.
See why figs should be a part of everyone’s diet? Here are some fun ways you can eat more figs on a regular basis:
- Make a fig toast with ricotta, sliced fig, honey, and basil.
- Serve on a charcuterie board with other nuts, fruits, and cheeses.
- Make a fig, goat cheese, arugula, and fennel pizza with sourdough bread.
- Make a warm summery salad with arugula, slivered almonds, and figs.
14. Avocado
Everyone tends to focus on the fat content when discussing avocados. But what about the fibre? Perhaps surprisingly, avocados contain a whopping 10 grams of fibre per cup. That makes these creamy fruits one of the best ways to get your dietary fibre intake!
On top of being rich in fibre, avocados are also:
- An excellent source of monounsaturated fats.
- Packed with potassium.
- Rich in folate, which is essential for healthy brain function.
So, don’t feel guilty for making yourself that avocado toast! We’re sure you won’t have any trouble finding a way to consume avocados, as they are now everywhere. They’re even making their way into high-end lattes through avocado “milk”! Regardless, here are some easy options for including more avocados in your diet:
- Smush the avocado on toasted sourdough bread and top with a poached egg and micro greens.
- Mash with lime juice, salt, garlic, diced red onion, olive oil, chopped coriander, and pepper flakes to make guacamole.
- Eat half an avocado topped with salt and pepper along with scrambled eggs for breakfast.
- Top your favourite salads and soups with avocado cubes.
15. Dates
Last but not least, we have dates. These are the incredibly nutritious fruits of the palm tree and are known for their sweet, dessert-like taste. You can count on figs to help you with easy bowel movements, too, as a single 100-gram serving contains 7 grams of fibre!
Dates are full of nutrients that will bring you plenty of health benefits. From antioxidants like flavonoids and carotenoids to essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese, dates have your nutrient bases covered. Some studies have even found that consuming dates could promote natural labour!
So, how can you consume more dates? Here are some excellent ideas:
- Blend them up in a smoothie as a healthy and natural sweetener.
- Add to a fall salad with walnuts, pears, and roasted squash.
- Stuff them with peanut butter for an excellent power snack.
- Use them to top your favourite greek yoghurt parfait.
As you can now see, there is no shortage of tasty fruits that promote gut health. Adding any of the 15 best fruits for gut health above will definitely give your gut microbiome some extra love.
And if you’re not sure how best to introduce all of these into your diet, you should download the OSbiome app from the Apple App Store. Our gut health app will help you keep track of all of your healthy habits for your gut microbiome, all from the comfort of your phone!