Mulberries have been valued as food and traditional medicine for centuries, with uses ranging from supporting digestion and circulation to promoting metabolic health. They’re also naturally rich in polyphenols, polysaccharides and other beneficial plant compounds. Now, researchers are uncovering another possible reason this overlooked fruit deserves attention — what it may do to your gut microbiome.
A recent scientific review found that compounds in mulberry fruit and leaves may encourage beneficial gut bacteria and increase production of short-chain fatty acids, including butyrate, acetate and propionate. These compounds help support intestinal health and healthy metabolism. Some studies also found improvements in glucose and fat metabolism, and interestingly, combinations of mulberry polyphenols and polysaccharides appeared to produce stronger effects than isolated components alone.
Most of the evidence is still from laboratory and animal research, so human studies are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. But the findings add to mulberry’s long history as a nutrient-rich whole food rather than reducing its benefits to a single isolated compound. If you can find fresh mulberries in season, consider adding them to your fruit rotation and eating them in their whole, natural form — an easy way to give your gut a wider variety of plant compounds and the microbes that thrive on them.
SOURCE:
MedicalXpress, August 24, 2026