Two of these fruits a day can boost gut health, fight cancer risk, doctor says

Eating two of a specific type of fruit each day may keep the gastroenterologist away.

Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, “prescribes” two kiwis a day to her patients to help with digestion and deliver a boost of vitamins and antioxidants. 

“I hesitate to say there’s any one magic fruit out there that will cure all your gut health woes, but in some respects, kiwis do seem to rise above some of the other tried-and-true methods out there, like prunes or psyllium fiber,” Pasricha told Fox News Digital.

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A single kiwi packs up to eight grams of fiber, which prevents constipation and promotes regular bowel movements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But the superfood also contains actinidin, an enzyme that helps digestion by breaking down proteins. It’s not found in many other foods.

Actinidin is so powerful that it’s used commercially as a meat tenderizer, Pasricha wrote in her “Ask A Doctor” column for The Washington Post recently.

Pasricha said she recommends it over other high-fiber foods such as prunes, which can actually contribute to bloating and are harder to convince people to eat.

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She has seen kiwis work wonders for her patients and her own family, she said, but a 2022 study proved what she and other gastroenterologists have long observed anecdotally.

Scientists from New Zealand, Italy and Japan found that two kiwis a day helped participants have more frequent and complete bowel movements and helped alleviate abdominal pain, indigestion and straining while going to the bathroom.

“The fiber helps with digestive issues and constipation, specifically by adding bulk to stool so it can move through the colon easier and also softening stool so it’s easier to push out,” New York-based certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco told Fox News Digital.

The study found the fruits proved to be more effective than psyllium husk, a supplement Pasricha said has “long reigned queen in the gastroenterology world.”

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Meanwhile, researchers in Norway found in 2011 that kiwi consumption helped prevent DNA breaks that can cause cancerous growths and reduced triglycerides, which are tied to heart attack risk.

A 2023 study done in China also suggested that people who ate more kiwis had a 13% lower risk of colorectal cancer.

“More research needs to be done to fully understand kiwi consumption and cancer risk – but the scientific groundwork has been laid,” Pasricha wrote in her column.

The little green fruits are also bursting with vitamins C, E and K and antioxidants known to protect against cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, according to Pasricha. 

Those effects are gleaned from a healthy diet, she stresses, not supplements. 

She recommends eating kiwi at any point in the day. 

“My kids and I eat them after dinner as dessert,” she said.

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While she enjoys eating the kiwi skin, which is loaded with even more fiber, she said it’s not necessary. 

She advises adding them to a balanced diet of colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and to consult a doctor about any gut issues.

DeCicco suggested getting additional kiwi in your diet by adding it to Greek yogurt with cinnamon, raw nuts and berries; giving a salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and avocado some sweetness; eating it on the side of eggs; and blending it into a protein smoothie.