Healthiest 5 Exotic Fruits (and how to reverse juice) | Ep 367

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Dr. Gundry Podcast – Ep 367

Title: Healthiest 5 Exotic Fruits (and how to reverse juice)
Host: Dr. Steven Gundry
Release Date: September 2, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this engaging, information-packed episode, Dr. Steven Gundry explores the health implications of juicing versus eating whole fruits, debunks common fruit-related myths, and dives deep into the healthiest (and worst) exotic fruits you can eat—highlighting their effects on gut health, metabolic well-being, and overall vitality. He also shares actionable tips on how to incorporate these fruits strategically for maximum benefit and minimal risk.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. The Truth About Juicing (01:56 – 06:52)

• Juicing's Pitfalls: Dr. Gundry addresses the juicing trend, often hailed as a shortcut to health, and explains why it's actually detrimental.
  • “The truth about juicing and juice cleanses is they're a waste of your time and money. Plus, they're terrible for your health.” (01:56)
• Sugar Content: Most juices, even so-called green juices, are high in sugar—sometimes exceeding sodas and desserts.
  • “One of the most popular green juices on the market has a whopping 53 grams of sugar per serving. For reference, that's more sugar than a can of soda.” (03:00)
• Fiber Loss: Juicing removes fiber, crucial for feeding beneficial gut microbes, keeping you full, and supporting digestion.
  • “That pulp is where the fiber is. And fiber is what you need to keep your gut bugs happy.” (03:11)
  • Celery juice isn't spared—even if low in sugar, juicing strips away precious fiber.
• Detox Myth: Actual detoxification is handled by your liver—not by juice cleanses.
  • “If your liver is functioning well, you don't need to worry about trend detoxes or any of that. Especially if you're eating healthy foods.” (04:20)
• Reverse Juicing: Instead of drinking juice, keep the pulp (fiber) and discard the juice (sugar).
  • “With reverse juicing, you throw out the juice and keep the pulp. ... When you’re throwing out the juice, you’re getting rid of most of the sugar from the fruit and keeping the healthy fiber and nutrients.” (05:36)
  • Use pulp in coconut yogurt, smoothies, or almond flour muffins.
  • Smoothies are allowed—provided they contain all fiber and are Plant Paradox compliant.

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2. Fruit, Evolution, and Sugar: Why We Love Fruit (06:52 – 16:44)

• Genetics & the ‘Thrifty Gene’: Humans and great apes share a mutation—lost uricase enzyme—that allows us to turn fructose into fat efficiently, aiding survival in ancient times, but now leading to metabolic issues.
  • “Fructose is a mitochondrial toxin. ... most of fructose is taken directly to the liver ... where it's detoxified into triglycerides, a fat, and uric acid.” (07:37)
• Consequences of Year-Round Fruit: Modern access to fruit (and high-fructose corn syrup) year-round drives weight gain and insulin resistance.
  • “We now have 365 days of endless summer. ... that mutation allows us now to constantly store fructose from fruit ... as fat.” (09:44)
• Nature’s Fruit Is Different: Ancient fruit was wild, small, fibrous, and consumed seasonally—modern fruit is bred for maximum sweetness and availability.
  • “Fruit was supposed to exist seasonally. ... It was wild, it was small, it was very fibrous, and ... it was seasonal.” (11:23)
• Fruit Color & Human Evolution: Bright colors signal high sugar and ripeness—a trait evolved to entice fruit predators, including us.
  • “Plants use the color of fruit to actually tell you and me when that fruit has its highest sugar content.” (12:23)

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3. The Best and Worst Exotic Fruits (16:44 – 24:40, 25:00 – 45:37)

Best Exotic Fruits

• Papaya (Unripe/Early Ripe):
  • “I prefer you eating papayas when they're unripe ... The less ripe the papaya, the far more fiber. Soluble fiber for your gut buddies.” (13:54)
• Passion Fruit:
  • “That jelly like substance is packed with polyphenols and soluble fiber and it's incredibly low in fructose.” (14:14)
• Dragon Fruit:
  • “Dragon fruit is low in sugar, it's high in antioxidants ... and it's a great source of prebiotic fiber.” (16:44)
• Cacao (Raw/Fermented):
  • “Yes, cacao, chocolate is a fruit, but only if you eat it like one. So raw or fermented cacao ... is rich in polyphenols and brain supporting compounds.” (17:54)
• Loquat, Acai, Mangosteen, Star Fruit, Breadfruit:
  • All praised for unique fiber, polyphenol, or antioxidant content, but caution about preparation and sugar.
  • “Loquat ... are very fiber rich” (18:11), “Acai ... powerhouse of anthocyanins and other polyphenols ... skip the acai bowls.” (18:26)

Fruits to Avoid or Limit

• Ripe Mango:
  • “A ripe mango is one of the highest sugar containing foods there is. That's why we love them so much.” (18:50)
  • Opt for green mango (gut-prebiotic).
• Goji Berries/Goldenberries:
  • “They are a nightshade family. And so just avoid them.” (19:20)
• Guava (Most):
  • “Guava and guava nectar is loaded with sugar. It's not worth it unless you really know the source or have one growing in your backyard.” (19:55)

Key Quote on Seasonal Fruit

“Fruit was supposed to exist seasonally. You and great apes became the conquerors of the world because of this genetic mutation that allows you to turn fructose into fat and store it effectively.” — Dr. Gundry (20:15)

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4. Spotlight: Kiwi – The Ultimate Fruit? (24:40 – 30:00)

• Lowest Glycemic Index:
  • Kiwi is lauded for having the lowest GI among fruits (GI 3-39), leading to gradual blood sugar rises—a boon for metabolic health.
  • “Kiwis have the lowest glycemic index of any of the fruits.” (24:42)
• Eat Whole, With Skin:
  • “Eating a whole kiwi with the skin on actually increases its fiber content by a whopping 50% more than if you eat it without its skin.” (25:22)
• Gut Microbiome Benefits:
  • Regular kiwi consumption improves gut microbiota diversity and increases beneficial lactobacilli.
  • “Kiwi fruit is a prebiotic that selectively enhances the growth of intestinal lactic acid bacteria.” (26:50)
• Sleep Benefits:
  • New study: Two kiwis one hour before bed helps improve sleep quality and duration.
  • “Consumption of two kiwi fruit one hour before bedtime for a month significantly improved ... total sleep drive ... by 17%.” (28:15)
• Memorable Reframe:
  • “From now on, I want you to replace that saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, with a kiwi a day keeps the doctor away. Just remember, don't peel them. Eat the fuzzy part.” (29:25)

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5. Avocado: A Daily Superfruit (30:01 – 45:37)

• Why Avocado?
  • Monounsaturated fat, fiber, polyphenols, potassium, antioxidants—all without sugar.
  • “You should have an avocado every day. ... people who eat avocado every day lose weight compared to people who don't.” (30:01)
• Boosts Nutrient Absorption:
  • Eating avocado with salads/veggies increases absorption of vitamins and polyphenols.
• Myths About Fat:
  • Debunks fear that “eating fat makes you fat”; highlights that fat does not spike insulin, but carbs and protein can.
  • “Just remember, eating fat does not make you fat.” (34:36)
• Practical Ways to Eat Avocado:
  • Plain, with salt/pepper and olive oil
  • In salads or as guacamole (no tomatoes, use Belgian endive as the “chip”)
  • Avocado + egg yolk (as a power breakfast)
  • Incorporated into smoothies, hummus, even popsicles and ice cream
  • “Avocados are my favorite go-to’s for health.” (38:07)
• Bulk Buying Tips:
  • Buy green, refrigerate to extend life; cost is justified by health benefits.

“So avocados give you a tremendous health boost anytime you eat them. There's almost no sugar in an avocado, even the fact that it is a fruit.” — Dr. Gundry (41:00)

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6. Bonus Q&A: Cognitive Decline and Devices (45:37 – 46:59)

• Gut Health Is Key: Dr. Gundry responds to a question about oxygen therapy for dementia by reiterating that gut health and microbiome diversity are paramount for cognitive health.
  • “Cognitive decline comes from decline of gut health, decline in diversity of the microbiome and decline in in the integrity of the wall of your gut and repairing those is job one.” (46:10)

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Memorable Quotes

• On Juicing:

  “When you juice something, the machine chews up your fruit and veggies, then spits out the juice. And most people just throw the pulp in the trash. The bad news, that pulp is where the fiber is.” — Dr. Gundry (03:11)

• On Fruit and Evolution:

  “You have color vision because you are a fruit predator. And only animals that predate fruit or flowers have color vision.” — Dr. Gundry (12:53)

• On Kiwi:

  "A kiwi a day keeps the doctor away. Just remember, don't peel them. Eat the fuzzy part.” — Dr. Gundry (29:28)

• On Avocado:

  “You should have an avocado every day.” — Dr. Gundry (30:01)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:56 – 06:52 Juicing: Problems and Solutions (Reverse Juicing)
• 06:52 – 16:44 Fruit, Evolution, and Metabolic Health
• 16:44 – 24:40 Exotic Fruits: Best and Worst
• 24:40 – 30:00 Kiwi: The Model Fruit
• 30:01 – 45:37 Avocado Deep-Dive: Benefits, Myths, and Serving Suggestions
• 45:37 – 46:59 Gut Health and Cognitive Decline
• 29:28, 34:36, 38:07, 41:00: Notable quotes about kiwi and avocado

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Conclusion

This episode cements Dr. Gundry’s core philosophy: Eat fruit smartly (seasonally, unripe or low-sugar, fiber-rich), prioritize whole food over juice, embrace daily avocado and kiwi (with skin), and never fear fat when it comes from the right sources. Above all, nurturing your gut is the foundation of optimal health—mind, body, and soul.

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For daily health tips and podcast updates, follow Dr. Gundry on social media or explore his YouTube channel.

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[END SUMMARY]

Transcript

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Welcome to the Dr. Gundry podcast, where Dr. Steven Gundry shares his groundbreaking research from over 25 years of treating patients with diet and lifestyle changes alone. Dr. Gundry and other wellness experts offer inspiring stories, the latest scientific advancements, and practical tips to empower you to take control of your health and live a long, happy life.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

Let's get fruity. Today is all about fruit and the first topic is my favorite, exotic fruits. This topic actually was requested by a listener, so send me your ideas. I may just do an episode on your question. Then we'll discuss juicing. Is it healthy or a disaster for your health? And then we'll discuss two of my favorite all time fruits that can really supercharge your health. So stay tuned.

[Tom Schwartz]

Guys, what is up? My name is Tom Schwartz. Some of you might know me from Vanderpump rules. We had 11 wonderful, beautiful, strange seasons together. You've seen me at some of my worst. And now I want to show you some of my best. Welcome to my new show, Detox Retox on podcast one. So what are we doing here? Well, we're striving for balance in an ever extreme world. Each week we celebrate the the dance between indulgence and moderation. And I want to level up together and I don't want to feel bad about feeling good. It's all about harmony, okay? Through conversations and travels, friends, your favorite reality stars, Internet personalities, experts, amateurs, metaphysics. The best cal. Highly experiential. It's going to be a nice blend of practical and fantastical. It's not woo woo if it works. So we're going to open up our minds with fascinating humans from all walks of life. You're a little reminder that it's never too late to start fresh and find harmony. New episodes of Detox Retox with me, Tom Schwartz. Drop every Tuesday. Come vibe with us and remember to rate, review and follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

It seems like over the last decade, juice bars have been popping up everywhere, and it's easy to get sucked into the juicing hype. Juice fans claim they get more nutrients from juicing than they would from simply eating fruits and veggies. And that's just the start. They also claim juicing can improve digestive health and even flush out toxins from the body, which is why so many people swear by juice cleanses to lose weight. But the truth about juicing and juice cleanses is they're a waste of your time and money. Plus, they're terrible for your health. I'm serious now. Let me explain why? For the most part, when people juice or cleanse, the stuff they're drinking is primarily fruit juice. And fruit juice is loaded in sugar, even if it's green. Now, if you're one of those people who drinks celery juice, I'll get to.

You in a moment.

But if you're heading to the juice bar and getting something that's a blend of fruit and veggies, or straight up fruit, you're drinking your dessert.

And then some.

In fact, one of the most popular green juices on the market has a whopping 53 grams of sugar per serving. For reference, that's more sugar than a can of soda and even more sugar than a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Even worse, when you juice something, the machine chews up your fruit and veggies, then spits out the juice. And most people just throw the pulp in the trash. The bad news, that pulp is where the fiber is. And fiber is what you need to keep your gut bugs happy. Plus, fiber rich foods keep you full, keep your digestion moving and help you feel your best. So you should be eating more of them, not throwing the fiber in the trash. And yes, celery juicers, that goes for you as well. It's true, if you juice celery, you won't end up with a sugary juice, but you're still throwing out the fiber. And when it comes to fiber, celery is actually one of the best foods you can eat. So don't juice it, make guacamole and dip it instead. That way you're getting all the nutrients from celery juice and adding in a dose of healthy fats. In fact, celery and guacamole is one of my all time favorite on the go snacks. Now if you're a juice fan, you probably also need to know, can juicing really detox your body? Well, yes and no. Drinking enough of anything will make you pee. So if that's what you mean by detoxing, sure. But the truth is you've already got a built in detox system. Your liver. And if your liver is functioning well, you don't need to worry about trend detoxes or any of that. Especially if you're eating healthy foods that help your body rather than hurt it. And avoiding things like sugar and lectins which destroy your health. In fact, the most important part of any detox is knowing what not to put into your body. After that, your body knows what to do because it has a built in waste management system. Your digestive system if you're eating right, you truly don't need a detox. But if you do need a kickstart, try the three day cleanse on my book. You'll get to eat plenty of delicious food and improve your health, too. Now, if you did spend the money and buy that fancy juicer, don't worry, you don't have to get rid of it. Instead, try reverse juicing. And if you've got that bunch of fruit in the house, it's a great solution. So what's reverse juicing? Well, if you've ever used a juicer, you know, a juicer chews up your fruit, spits out the juice and makes a bunch of pulp that you throw away. Well, with reverse juicing, you throw out the juice and keep the pulp. See, when you're throwing out the juice, you're getting rid of most of the sugar from the fruit and keeping the healthy fiber and nutrients. But what can you do with all that pulp? Well, it's got a nice fruity flavor that's great in coconut yogurt, blended into a smoothie, or even baked into an almond flour muffin. And yes, I said smoothies. I'm fine with smoothies, provided they're the plant paradox compliant. Because unlike juicing, when you make a smoothie, you keep the fiber. And fiber is incredibly important to your health. So skip the juice, even celery juice, or try reverse juicing. Reverse juicing is a process that inspired me when I created my top selling formula, actually, to help people enjoy the benefits of fruit without all that sugar. Because I know fruit is delicious and tempting and I don't want you to feel deprived. I just want you to feel great.

Hey, it's time to talk about the best and worst exotic fruits out there. Now, did you ever wonder why fruit tastes so good? Well, you can actually thank a genetic mutation and evolution. Now, great apes about 10 million years ago suffered a genetic mutation and they stopped making an enzyme called uricase that broke down a product of fructose metabolism called uric acid. Uric acid and triglycerides both are products of fructose metabolism. Please understand. Fructose is a mitochondrial toxin. I'm sorry, it is. Fructose is so dangerous that rather than being absorbed directly into our bloodstream like glucose, fructose, most of fructose is taken directly to the liver. Do not pass go, do not collect $200 where it's detoxified into triglycerides, a fat and uric acid. Why would that be so interesting? Well, it turns out that great apes who suffered this mutation during a time of climate change when forests were receding, great apes could take the fructose in ripe fruit and convert it into fat. Number one, triglycerides and number two, produce uric acid that produced insulin resistance. And if you listen to me enough, we know that insulin resistance increases the storage of fat, prevents fat breakdown, and is one of the biggest drivers of our dismal outcome right now. So what? So great apes could out compete other monkeys to store fat for the lean times, whereas other monkeys couldn't. That made them the great apes, and they actually populated much of the world because they could travel on their fat. We, when we diverged from great apes about 6 to 8 million years ago, share that mutation now. For years it was called the thrifty gene because we thought that somehow presto changeo, because we went long time without food and we could walk long distances without food, and we were deprived of food, that we developed presto changeo, this magical thrifty gene. It's only been in recent years that we now realize that that thrifty gene is in fact the genetic mutation that allowed great apes to store fat from fruit and allows us to store fat from fructose. So what was of huge benefit to great apes and early humans, being able to eat fruit in season, take advantage of that fructose and convert it into fat and keep it stored as fat because of uric acid levels, became a major disadvantage to most of us now, because we now have 365 days of endless summer. And that mutation allows us now to constantly store fructose from fruit or from high fructose corn syrup as fat. And what was once what made us and great apes great has become one of our major limiting factors. Okay, now, what kind of fruit were these apes eating? What kind of fruit did modern humans eat before all this? It was wild, it was small, it was very fibrous, and most importantly, it was seasonal. Fruit does not ripen in the jungle year round. That's not how it happens. It is a seasonal thing. Just because we can grow strawberries down the road in Oxnard, California in January because of hybridization doesn't make that an in season fruit. And just because a 747 can bring blueberries to Costco in February from Chile or Argentina, doesn't make that a seasonal fruit. So it's this access to continuous fructose that's one of the big drivers of our insulin resistance of our fat. Okay, feast fast. Feast fast. We have a storage system that was Designed because of this modern mutation. So fruit in season, in moderation, is a good idea. That's how we were designed to take advantage of it. But fruit out of season is part of what drives this. And of course, using high fructose corn syrup in so many of our foods also drives this as well. So is there a smart way to eat fruit? So all fruit is not bad. The key is timing and type. Now, if we eat fruit the way nature intended, seasonally, in moderation, and it's in most natural form, we can actually support our health. Remember, the vibrant colors of fruit were there for a major reason, and that is fruit predators. And I got news for you. You and I are fruit predators, are looking for the maximum sugar content of that food we're eating. Plants, on the other hand, want you to eat their fruit because it contains their babies that are impossible for us to digest. And you will eat the fruit, take the baby in in the form of seeds, and you will walk away and poop it someplace else with a generous dollop of fertilizer. Perfect. So plants use the color of fruit to actually tell you and me when that fruit has its highest sugar content. And it's also, you didn't know, telling you that that seed is now impervious to digestion. You have color vision because you are a fruit predator. And only animals that predate fruit or flowers have color vision. Your dog doesn't have color vision because he doesn't care what color a squirrel is. If it's moving, he wants to eat it. On the other hand, you want the signal from the plant about when it's ripe. I get a kick out of my garden. I have fig trees, and lo and behold, the birds are usually one or two days ahead of me in figuring out when the fig is at its ripest. So that's why we have color vision. And those intense colors are actually the polyphenols that are of huge benefit to us. So there's nothing wrong with fruit in season, but season is the key word. Now, exotic fruits are hitting the marketplace and they are becoming commonplace. So what are the best exotic fruits in season? Well, first of all, papaya. Papaya does have a lot of sugar content. And I prefer you eating papayas when they're unripe or early in the ripening process before they get the maximum sugar content. The less ripe the papaya, the far more fiber. Soluble fiber for your gut buddies. One of my personal favorites is passion fruit. I actually grow it in my own yard. Now, that jelly like substance is packed with polyphenols and soluble fiber and it's incredibly low in fructose in places like Italy and France, it is considered a gourmet seasonal delicacy and it appears on whenever it's around. It appears on menus.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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[Dr. Steven Gundry]

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[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Dragon Fruit Now Dragon fruit is low in sugar, it's high in antioxidants, it's high in polyphenols, and it's a great source of prebiotic fiber. Its flashy color isn't just for show. That's a punch potent sign of polyphenols. And let me be clear about this because I get this all the time. People say that I tell you to avoid seeds and that's absolutely not true. Plants that bear fruits in general want to induce you to eat their fruit and their seeds so that you will take them away and deposit them elsewhere. The plant really doesn't want to drop its seeds directly below the fruit tree because it would be shaded and it would compete for resources from the mother plant. They want you, the predator, to go over there. On the other hand, grasses and other annual plants have found a great place to grow and they're going to die off every year. So they want their seeds to to drop directly below because they've already found a great place. And the last thing they want you to do is take those seeds away. So they don't have a fruit to attract you, but they know that you'll probably eat them anyhow. So they protect those seeds with these anti nutrient compounds, some of which are lectins, some of which are oxalates and there's other compounds to try to convince you that this is a bad idea to eat their seeds. Now it is interesting. Immature fruit does have lectins to convince you that now is not the time to eat their babies because their babies are not protected. And when I was growing up, we ate green apples when apples were actually green before they were mature. And every kid can tell you that we suffered the green apple two step. We got some pretty impressive cramps and diarrhea and we still did it anyway. But that was the plant defense system against being eaten before its babies were ready. Pretty clever plants. So no, seeds are not the issue, it's how you acquire them. How about cacao? Yes, cacao, chocolate is a fruit, but only if you eat it like one. So raw or fermented cacao, not Dutch processed cocoa powder and candy bars, is rich in polyphenols and brain supporting compounds. Now I add it to my coffee every morning. Loquat. I have a couple of loquat trees in my yard. It's originally from China. These are very fiber rich fruits. That really helps satiety. They're becoming more common at farmer's markets, especially here in California. And if you see them, try them, they actually are very tasty. Acai. Now sometimes you see it whole, mostly you see it frozen. The berry itself is a powerhouse of anthocyanins and other polyphenols. But please skip the acai bowls. They're usually sugar bombs disguised as a health food. Mangosteens, particularly in northern California farmers markets are full of mangosteens in season. And mangosteen polyphenols are really great for you. Star fruit. We're beginning to see those. You can eat them sliced whole, you can eat the skin. And of course there's breadfruit. Now breadfruit has been a staple for particularly South American cultures. And breadfruit is another great source of fiber, prebiotic fiber. Well, how about exotic fruits to avoid? Unfortunately, a ripe mango is one of the highest sugar containing foods there is. That's why we love them so much. And I see some of my patients go on Mango kicks, and I can see it in their blood work. Their triglycerides go up, their insulin resistance goes up. They become pre diabetic because they've got a mango tree in their yard and we certainly don't want want to waste it. Instead, pick mangoes green. They are fabulous as a prebiotic fiber. Most Thai restaurants have a green mango or green papaya salad, and they're using it for the real reason. It was created to feed gut bacteria. Now, goji berries. I'm sorry. Despite their health food reputation, goji berries are part of the nightshade family. They were the wolfberry of the Americas, and they were taken to China in trade during Colombian trade, and they grew great in China. But do not be confused. They are a nightshade family. And so just avoid them. There's better substitutes. Goldenberries, they're another nightshade. Now, yes, they do have some nutrients, but for most people, the risk really exceeds the benefit, especially if you have gut issues. Guava. Now, some of the smaller varieties are rich in polyphenols, but most guava and guava nectar is loaded with sugar. It's not worth it unless you really know the source or have one growing in your backyard. Okay, so those are the good exotic fruits, the bad exotic fruits. But the bottom line is, fruit was supposed to exist seasonally. You and great apes became the conquerors of the world because of this genetic mutation that allows you to turn fructose into fat and store it effectively. And as long as you keep that in the back of your mind, you'll do fine with eating fruit in moderation, seasonally, when it was available not too many years ago. All right, here's the exciting news. Kiwis have the lowest glycemic index of any of the fruits. Okay, so what is a glycemic index? Well, it basically means how fast your blood sugar is going to rise after you eat something. Now, how is that different than how much sugar does something contain? Well, it turns out that how slowly something like a kiwi is digested and then the sugar enters your bloodstream is what makes the difference in glycemic index. So does this actually matter? Well, for those of you who like to track your blood sugar with, with a continuous glucose monitor, it's a fun experiment to play around with. And you might be shocked with something that might have a potentially low sugar content actually has a very high glycemic index. So the glycemic index goes from 0 to 100. Now, a typical kiwi has a glycemic index GI of around 3,39. Now that doesn't mean anything, but compare that to a ripe banana, which has a glycemic index of 62, or watermelon, which has a glycemic index of 76. Whoa. And watermelon, for instance, has a very low sugar content and yet it's basically pure. It's like drinking sugar water. I see the damage watermelons do in my patient's blood work. A number of my patients, particularly in season, go on a watermelon kick.

Why?

Tastes great. And they've been assured that there's very little sugar in watermelon. And yet every one of them, I see much higher insulin levels, much higher glucose levels, and much more disordered cholesterol numbers and insulin resistance because they went on that low sugar watermelon kick. So why kiwi and why does it have a low glycemic index? Well, it's loaded with fiber, prebiotic fiber. So eating a whole kiwi with the skin on actually increases its fiber content by a whopping 50% more if you eat it without its skin. Now the good news is that eating a whole kiwi, this is a green kiwi with the skin on, increases its fiber content by a whopping 50% more than if you eat it without its skin. So one skin on green kiwi has 3.5 grams of fiber, while its skin on gold kiwi, which is actually much smaller, has about 3 grams of fiber. Now to compare, you'd have to eat a whole cup of of cut up strawberries for the same amount of fiber. And I hope everyone knows now that strawberries are the number one on the dirty dozen list of herbicide and pesticide ridden fruit. Number one. Now, many studies have looked at giving people kiwis to eat and it shows that they get improved gut microbiome diversity. Everyday consumption of kiwi fruits, especially with the whole fruit with peel, was shown to improve lipid homeostasis and gut microbiota diversity. Why? It turns out that the fiber in kiwis seemed to be really loved by our gut bacteria, particularly the good ones. And in fact, the polyphenols in kiwi also selectively increases the the better bacteria in our gut. Another study in humans showed that kiwi fruit is a prebiotic that selectively enhances the growth of intestinal lactic acid bacteria. Now, people have heard of lactic acid bacteria. It turns out that as you'll read in the gut brain paradox, we have hopefully a very good balance between good and bad bacteria. And they're supposed to be There bad ones as well as good ones. But it's when that balance gets out of whack that the problems occur. And we can actually measure that balance in my patients. And interestingly enough, lactobacilli are a bunch of the really good guys in your gut. And so many of my patients, they don't have very many lactobacilli. So eating kiwis are a great way to increase those lactobacilli. In fact, the gold kiwi is so good at this, there are even companies that sell gold kiwi supplements. Now here's a fun fact. According to one study, eating kiwi can actually help you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer. They actually contain vitamin B6, which can help tired muscles relax. And they're a great source of magnesium, a mineral that's crucial for getting good sleep. Now, there's a study involving volunteers, 25 people who self reported sleep disturbances. This study demonstrated that consumption of two kiwi fruit one hour before bedtime for a month significantly improved ectography, measured total sleep drive. That's a fancy way of doing a sleep study in a sleep lab by 17% and sleep efficiency by 2.5%. Now that doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it was actually very statistically significant. So survey says one of the best fruits you can eat is a kiwifruit. How do you eat it? With a peel. Here's the easiest way to do it. Chop the ends off with a knife and when you start, cut it in quarters and then eat it like as a sliver. Eventually cut the ends off and eat it like an apple. Now, just because it's probably the best fruit you can eat doesn't mean to go hog wild and eat them all day. But from now on, I want you to replace that saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away with a kiwi a day keeps the doctor away. Just remember, don't peel them. Eat the fuzzy part. And some of the best polyphenols are in the skin as well as those gut buddy boosting prebiotics. Avocados. You gotta have avocados in your house because if the there's avocados in your house, there'll be an avocado in your mouth. You should have an avocado every day. Studies have shown that people who eat.

Avocado every day lose weight compared to.

People who don't eat avocados. Studies have shown that avocados in a salad or mixed in with vegetables make you absorb more of the vitamins and nutrients and polyphenols in those food than if you didn't have the avocado. It's loaded with monounsaturated healthy fats, lycolic acid, which is the major fat in olive oil, loaded with antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K and the B vitamins. There's more potassium in an avocado than a banana. So if your doctor told you to get potassium from bananas, ditch the bananas and eat the avocado instead. Should you use avocado oil and ditch the avocados?

Well, while avocado oil is a good.

High smoke cooking oil, it doesn't have near the polyphenol content of olive oil.

So eat your avocado because it'll also.

Get you all that wonderful fiber that your gut bacteria need. Guacamole. Have some guacamole in the refrigerator. There are a number of companies that now make guacamole without tomatoes, which is not supposed to be in guacamole.

Or use those avocados when they're starting.

Starting to get really ripe and make.

Your own guacamole and use Belgian endive.

As your dipping chip for guacamole and you'll get a win win.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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[Dr. Steven Gundry]

My favorite ways to eat avocados all right, many of you know I love avocados.

I have them almost every day.

Interestingly enough, there's actually more potassium in.

An avocado than there is in a banana. For all you potassium freaks out there. Now, there's multiple benefits from avocados.

Studies show that when avocados are consumed with a meal, it dramatically increases the absorption of vitamins and minerals. And particularly that goes for a salad. You actually don't absorb the vitamins and.

Minerals in salads very well.

But studies show in humans that adding an avocado into the salad dramatically increases.

The the nutrient absorption of those vitamins and minerals. Who knew?

Just like olive oil, avocados are mainly monounsaturated fats, oleic acid.

It's the good kind of fat in.

Avocados that actually might help a great deal when it comes to your heart health. Another great perk of eating avocados is their lutein and zeaxanthin content, which many.

Of you know really helps with eyesight. And more and more, we're learning that.

It helps with heart health as well. And shockingly, despite that avocados are mostly fat, they actually support weight loss.

Studies have shown that adding an avocado a day to human volunteers improve weight.

Loss as opposed to not having that avocado.

Just remember, eating fat does not make you fat.

So that's why I recommend eating one whole avocado a day. All right, so how are you going.

To eat that one avocado a day?

Let's talk about some of my favorite ways of eating them.

Well, first of all, eat it plain. I like sprinkling a little salt and.

Pepper on an avocado and eating it plain.

Drizzle it with olive oil. You get the fat and the feeling of being full. And you get the benefit of. Of the fiber in the avocado and.

The polyphenols that are in the avocado and the olive oil.

In fact, recently in Paris, I had a sliced avocado as my breakfast every.

Day, and the waiters thought nothing of it.

They didn't go, huh? And there it appeared, ready to go.

If you need more flavor, try adding some of my miso sesame dressing.

You can find the recipe in the.

Energy Paradox or on my website. And it's delicious on an avocado. So cut the avocado in half, take the pit out, put egg yolks inside.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

The pit and pop it into the.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Toaster oven or broil and then drizzle it with olive oil and put some.

Salt and pepper on it.

Take your spoon, and that's one of.

The best breakfasts you're ever going to have. You'll get all the lutein and the choline from the egg yolk, you'll get.

All the vitamin E from the egg.

Yolk and you'll double your benefits because.

The avocado will help you absorb all those nutrients. Now, anytime you use an avocado with any other food, you can absorb those vitamins. So whatever you're going to eat, put an avocado with it on your plate. Think of an avocado as your vegetable.

I know it sounds crazy, but you're gonna get a phenomenal mouth feel from having that avocado. Now, it's obvious one of the best ways to use an avocado is to make guacamole.

But most of the guacamole recipes have tomatoes and peppers, which are not exactly healthy.

In fact, true guacamole is never made with tomatoes. And quite frankly, true guacamole is always made with peeled and de seeded peppers.

So it's easy to do. And thankfully, there's a number of store.

Bought guacamole that you can get at Costco, that you can get at Trader Joe's that doesn't have the tomatoes added the way it's supposed to be.

You can use a dipping chip for guacamole. There's now some new plantain dipping chips that are great. I personally prefer Belgian endive leaves as my dipping chip.

So that's an easy, easy way to get guacamole into your mouth.

And don't forget, guacamole in itself is great on whatever meat dish you're going to serve, whether it's chicken, whether it's.

Fish, whether it's grass fed beef, put.

Some guacamole on it. You'll absorb more nutrients anytime you use it. Here's another way. These are my olive oil pearls that look like caviar. Have the mouthfeel of caviar and put them in the hole in an avocado. Scoop the avocado and the olive oil pearls.

It is a mouth watering treat that.

Once again gets triple the benefits of.

Just olive oil into your mouth.

Well, I've been getting a lot of questions on social media about my favorite fruit, avocados. If you had any of my books. You know, avocados are one of my favorite go tos for health. So does it really cause weight gain, as you might have heard?

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

And can you eat too much?

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Well, let's dive right in with our myth busting session. So avocados are full of fat and everybody knows that eating fat makes you gain weight. Now where in the heck did this crazy eat fat, get fat theory come from? Well, it came about in the primarily 70s, and that was actually caused by some reports in the 1950s that fat, particularly saturated fat fat, was the cause of heart disease. And this was the famous seven Countries study where there was a association with the amount of fat in a diet with coronary artery disease. And as you've seen in a lot of my books, this association does not prove causation. And in fact, the seven countries that were selected were cherry picked, and I.

Won'T go into that.

But fat got evil. And in the 1970s, the McGovern Commission, Senator McGovern, the former presidential candidate, hosted a commission to have U.S. dietary guidelines. And they were very impressed with the seven countries study. And so U.S. dietary guidelines said we should avoid fat, period. Fat has 9 calories per gram versus 4 calories per gram of sugars or proteins. So in terms of weight, fat basically has twice the amount of calories as weight of protein or carbohydrates. So on the surface, that might look like something that's important. On the other hand, we now know after the failed experiment of low fat diets, that in fact, calories are not calories. What do I mean by that? Both carbohydrates and proteins cause an elevation in your insulin production. And if you've listened, you know that insulin is the fat storage hormone. Fat, on the other hand, does not raise insulin, so that just eating fat doesn't activate fat storage, whereas eating carbohydrates or protein can potentially activate fat storage. The second thing to remember is that when all these dietary guidelines were developed, no one knew about the microbiome. No one knew what foods the microbiome might want to eat and how much of the food and calories that you were eating and ingesting might potentially be eaten by your microbiome instead of passing on to you. So avocados have a great fat, which is a monounsaturated fat, oleic acid, which just so happens to be the predominant fat in my favorite fat, olive oil. So you get a benefit of oleic acid. But avocados are rich in fiber. Fiber is what feeds the good gut bacteria. That's what they want to eat, and they take those calories from themselves. Lastly, there's really good clinical trials that show eating an avocado a day compared to not eating an avocado a day makes you lose weight. Plus, adding avocados to anything you eat, particularly salads and vegetables, show that you will increase the absorption of polyphenols and other vital nutrients if the avocado was not there. So avocados give you a tremendous health boost anytime you eat them. There's almost no sugar in an avocado. Even the fact that it is a fruit, it's, it's actually a single seeded berry. And avocados are pretty easy to find. Now, a lot of people say, how can you recommend avocados? They're really expensive. Yeah, but if you think about what most of us spend on a cup of coffee every day or a coffee drink or an energy bar, the energy and benefits that you would get by spending that on an avocado is vastly superior to what you're currently spending things on. Plus, buy avocados in bulk. Get them really green. I was at Costco yesterday and I actually bought myself another bag of avocados. Some of the discount stores sell avocados. Buy them in bulk, keep them in the refrigerator until you want to ripen them, and you can keep them for an extended period of time. I actually have three green avocados in my refrigerator that I put there before I left for Europe a few weeks ago and they're still in perfect condition and ready for me to eat. So don't be afraid of buying avocados.

And bulk where you can actually save some money.

Now, can you eat too many avocados? Well, quite frankly, you can eat too many of anything. And we're going to talk about that in one of my other lectures. But it's very difficult to gain weight eating avocados. For one thing, they actually are very filling. So try to get yourself an avocado a day. If that's impossible, go for a couple three a week. Try to put them whenever you're going to have salads, vegetables, try to put them in there. I like to sneak them into food. You remember in the Plant Paradox, my green smoothie uses a half of an avocado. It's great for increasing the thickness of any smoothie you want. Believe it or not, in the Plant Paradox family cookbook, we have a popsicle recipe using avocados. In our cookbooks we have a avocado ice cream that is absolutely fantastic. The other thing you can do is make hummus with pressure cooked chickpeas and blend in avocado to give it an even better creamy taste. So there's so many ways to get.

Avocado into your diet.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

Now it's time for the question of the week from Bovill G on Instagram. Dr. G, do you think oxygen therapy, like where you ride a bike with an oxygen mask on will help with dementia or brain health in general. I'm looking at buying only one of several biohacking things from a red light mat to this oxygen bike deal. In addition to following your plan or Dr. Bredesen's eating plan, I wonder what you think is the best external device to use for fighting cognitive decline. Well, if you've read any of my.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Last few books, my humble opinion and others is that cognitive decline comes from decline of gut health, decline in diversity.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

Of the microbiome and decline in in the integrity of the wall of your.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Gut and repairing those is job one.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

No amount of oxygen, no amount of.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Red light, no amount of whatever is.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

Really going to fundamentally change that.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

Although I do really do like red.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

Light therapy on the gut. So poverty set at 25500 years ago.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

All disease begins in the gut and I believe that all disease can be reversed from the gut.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

But great question. Hope that helps. Now it's time for the review of the week from tableshadow on YouTube. Yes, in Japan and the Kyoto area I do both green tea and Matcha two times a day to lower blood pressure, blood sugar and a 1C super key video. Thanks Doc. Especially for people that drink this stuff. Big Love. Well, thanks for that review and I hope it was clarifying the difference between green tea and matcha tea. And like I say, I report. You decide. Thanks for writing.

[Dr. Steven Gundry]

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I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Dr. Gundry podcast. If you did, please share this with family and friends. You never know how one of these health tips can completely transform someone's life when you take the time to share it with them. There's also the Dr. Gundry Podcast YouTube channel where we have tens of thousands of free health insights that can help you and your loved ones live a long, vital life. Let's do this together.