Mulberry: An Ancient Superfood for Gut Health and Metabolism
Move over, trendy supplements — mulberry may be the ancient superfood that modern science is finally catching up with. A comprehensive new review led by scientists at Wrocław Medical University in Poland, published in the journal Biomolecules, has found that compounds in mulberry leaves and fruit can significantly reshape the gut microbiome in ways that support both intestinal health and metabolic function.
Researchers examined how bioactive compounds — including polyphenols and polysaccharides — found in various mulberry species interact with gut bacteria. Several studies in the review reported increases in beneficial microbes alongside greater production of short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which play a key role in maintaining gut lining integrity and supporting metabolic communication throughout the body.
Notably, combinations of mulberry compounds outperformed isolated ingredients. In animal studies using a high-fat diet model, a blend of polyphenols and polysaccharides from white mulberry fruit produced stronger, more favorable shifts in gut bacteria than either compound administered alone — and these changes correlated with improvements in parameters linked to metabolic syndrome, including blood sugar and lipid regulation.
However, researchers caution that results varied significantly depending on the mulberry species, the plant part used, and the processing method — and that human clinical trials using standardized preparations are still needed before definitive health claims can be made.
“Mulberry is particularly interesting because it contains numerous bioactive compounds which may interact with gut microorganisms,” explained Professor Anna Prescha, PhD, from Wrocław Medical University’s Department of Dietetics and Bromatology.
Source: ScienceDaily / Wroclaw Medical University