Maintaining a healthy digestive system is crucial for overall well-being. One of the best ways to nurture your stomach is by incorporating fruits that promote digestive health.
Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, certain fruits can soothe an upset stomach, ease digestion, and prevent gastrointestinal discomfort.
Whether you’re aiming to boost your fiber intake or find relief from stomach ailments, this guide will help you identify the best fruits that can aid your stomach’s health, making your journey toward better digestion smoother and more enjoyable.
Best Fruits for Stomach
1. Guava
Their fruits are oval in shape, have light green or yellow skin, and contain edible seeds. What’s more, guava leaves are used as an herbal tea and the leaf extract as a supplement. Guava fruits are amazingly rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
Guava is rich in vitamin C and is said to contain four times the content of vitamin C found in oranges. Vitamin C helps boost immunity levels that prepare your body to fight common infections and pathogens.
One of the key nutrients found in guava is fiber. Fiber has been shown to help with digestion by both solidifying and softening stool. This can ease the symptoms of both diarrhea and constipation. Studies also show that guava leaf extract can help reduce the intensity and duration of diarrhea.
The USDA provides the following nutrition information for 1 cup (165g) of guava.
- Calories: 112
- Fat: 1.6g
- Sodium: 3.3mg
- Carbohydrates: 23.6g
- Fiber: 8.9g
- Sugars: 14.7g
- Protein: 4.2g
- Vitamin C: 376mg
- Folate: 81mcg
- Potassium: 688mg
2. Grapefruit
People may prefer to eat grapefruit before a meal because it can help stimulate digestion and reduce appetite, potentially leading to weight loss. Grapefruits, like oranges and other citrus fruits, are high in vitamin C.
In fact, one whole, medium grapefruit provides you with 100% of your daily requirement for vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that is great for your immune system and can help you fight off viruses and bacteria that can cause disease.
Grapefruit, like other fruits, provides a good helping of fiber, which can help support heart and gut health. Fiber-rich foods can reduce inflammation and ease high blood pressure. Fiber helps prevent constipation and encourages beneficial bacteria growth.
One-half grapefruit measuring approximately 3 3/4″ in diameter (123g). The following nutrition information is provided by the USDA.
- Calories: 52
- Fat: 0.2g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Carbohydrates: 13.2g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 8.5g
- Protein: 0.9g
- Vitamin C: 38.4mg
- Vitamin A: 71.3mcg
3. Avocados
Avocado fruits have greenish or yellowish flesh with a buttery consistency and a rich nutty flavor. They are often eaten in salads, and in many parts of the world, they are eaten as a dessert.
Avocados are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feel fuller between meals.
Avocado is a superfood packed with fiber and essential nutrients, such as potassium, which helps promote healthy digestive function. It’s also a low-fructose food, so it’s less likely to cause gas. Be wary of portion sizes when it comes to foods like nuts and avocados.
The following nutrition information is for half of an avocado (100 grams) and is provided by the USDA.
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 14.7g
- Sodium: 7mg
- Carbohydrates: 8.5g
- Fiber: 6.7g
- Sugars: 0.7g
- Protein: 2g
- Magnesium: 29mg
- Potassium: 485mg
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Vitamin E: 2.1mg
- Vitamin K: 21mcg
4. Melon
It has an aromatic, juicy and sweet flesh, being an ideal fruit to fight thirst. Melons are hydrating and full of healthy antioxidants, such as beta-carotene in cantaloupe and lycopene in watermelon. They’re also good sources of electrolytes like potassium, as well as vitamin C.
The benefits of melon for stomach acid come from its alkaline nature. According to reports from Johns Hopkins Medicine, this sweet-tasting fruit is believed to relieve stomach acid and prevent irritation due to gastric acid reflux.
Melon softens the intestines, eliminates constipation, increases blood flow, and brings coolness to the body. Melons eaten on an empty stomach increase the activity of the gastrointestinal tract.
One cup of balled honeydew melon (177g) contains:
- Calories: 64
- Fat: 0.3g
- Sodium: 32mg
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugars: 14g
- Protein: 1g
- Vitamin C: 31.9mg
- Potassium: 404mg
5. Bananas
Bananas are among the most important food crops on the planet. Bananas are a healthy source of fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and various antioxidants and phytonutrients. They’re good for digestive and heart health. You can eat this tropical fruit raw or add it to smoothies or baked goods.
Bananas can help relieve an upset stomach by stimulating the production of mucus from the stomach lining. The mucus creates a barrier between the stomach lining and the acidic gastric substances that cause heartburn and stomach upset.
One medium-sized banana (118g) provides:
- Calories: 105
- Fat: 0.4g
- Sodium: 1.2mg
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Sugars: 14.4g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Potassium: 422mg
- Vitamin C: 10.3mg
- Magnesium: 31.9mg
6. Papaya
Papaya is a sweet, fleshy fruit native to Mexico. People can eat its pinkish-orange soft flesh on its own or add it to salads, smoothies, or other dishes. It is high in nutrients such as vitamin C, folate, vitamin A, magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants.
Papaya contains an enzyme called papain that is known to aid digestion. Eating papaya on an empty stomach can help jump-start the digestive process, making it easier for your body to process food efficiently throughout the day.
Along with this, adding fiber-rich veggies and fruits to your daily diet might be helpful.
One cup of fresh papaya chunks (145 grams):
- Calories: 62
- Fat: 0.4g
- Sodium: 11.6mg
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Sugars: 11g
- Protein: 0.7g
- Vitamin A: 68.2mcg
- Vitamin C: 88.3mg
- Potassium: 263.9mg
- Folate: 53.7mcg
- Beta carotene: 397.3mcg
- Lycopene: 2650.6mcg
7. Kiwi
Kiwi fruit is a true berry that has furry brownish-green skin. Kiwis are a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. Antioxidants — including vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin — help remove free radicals from the body.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that the body produces during metabolism and other processes.
Kiwi is a blessing for your gut! It’s packed with prebiotics, which is essentially the fuel to the growth of gut-friendly bacteria and yeast in your tummy called probiotics. These probiotics might help keep your gut in balance and support your overall digestive health.
One medium-sized kiwi (75g):
- Calories: 42
- Fat: 0.4g
- Sodium: 3.8mg
- Carbohydrates: 10.1g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Sugars: 6.7g
- Protein: 0.8g
- Vitamin C: 56mg
- Potassium: 148mg
8. Berries
A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour, or tart and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the culinary sense are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Berries provide potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fiber, and prebiotics—carbohydrates that help promote a healthy gut.
Berries, fermentable fibers, and whole grains may benefit gastritis. Gastritis refers to the inflammation of the stomach lining. Blueberries Improve Abdominal Symptoms, Well-Being and Functioning in Patients with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.
The nutrients in 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw strawberries are:
- Calories: 32
- Water: 91%
- Protein: 0.7 grams
- Carbs: 7.7 grams
- Sugar: 4.9 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
One cup (123 grams) of red raspberries contains:
- Calories: 64
- Carbs: 14.7 grams
- Fiber: 8 grams
- Protein: 1.5 grams
- Fat: 0.8 grams
A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of raw blueberries has:
- Calories: 57
- Water: 84%
- Protein: 0.7 grams
- Carbs: 14.5 grams
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fiber: 2.4 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
9. Apples
The apple is one of the pome (fleshy) fruits. Apples at harvest vary widely in size, shape, color, and acidity. Apples are high in fiber, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. They are also very filling, considering their low-calorie count.
Apples are high-fiber fruits that support digestion and help keep you satisfied for longer. For the most fiber, eat your apples with the peel on.
It may help with digestive diseases. Research suggests that eating fruit like apples may help reduce the chance of getting gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Multiple studies have also suggested that eating apples can help your food digest better, which may be helpful with constipation.
raw, unpeeled, medium-sized apple (182 grams):
- Calories: 94.6
- Water: 156 grams
- Protein: 0.43 grams
- Carbs: 25.1 grams
- Sugar: 18.9 grams
- Fiber: 4.37 grams
- Fat: 0.3 grams
Conclusion
Fruits are beneficial for the stomach due to their rich nutritional content and natural properties. They are high in fiber, which aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements, helping to prevent constipation and maintain gut health.
Their natural enzymes, like bromelain in pineapples and papain in papayas, support digestion by breaking down proteins. Additionally, the vitamins, antioxidants, and phytonutrients found in fruits help reduce inflammation and promote overall gut health by nurturing the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
Incorporating fresh fruits into your diet can significantly alleviate stomach pain and regulate bowel movements. For those suffering from excess stomach acid or upset stomachs, easy-to-digest options like ripe bananas, coconut water, and white rice can be particularly beneficial.
The BRAT diet, which includes bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, is ideal for managing abdominal pain. Remember, maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for overall digestive health. When you experience stomach discomfort, eat bananas and other gentle fruits to soothe your symptoms and support digestion.
