Blueberries Yes, Raspberries No: Why Dave Asprey Draws the Line
Dave Asprey, the Bulletproof founder who turned biohacking into a household word, keeps a short list of fruits worth eating. Blueberries are on it. Raspberries are not. We had a whole debate on it over here at Whatfinger News, as everyone loves most berries. At least the taste.
Dave Asprey said it plainly on X and in multiple YouTube clips: raspberries are horrible for you. The reason is oxalates. These natural compounds in certain plants bind calcium and form microscopic, razor-sharp crystals. Asprey has described watching women with long-running interstitial cystitis and chronic UTIs improve within days after they cut raspberries, beets, and almonds. He grows both raspberries and blackberries on his regenerative farm in Canada. He still does not eat them. Blueberries, strawberries, melons, and mangoes stay in rotation.
Raspberries are horrible for you! https://t.co/zhz4ZPjD7Z
— Dave Asprey (@daveasprey) November 7, 2026
Blueberries earn the spot for a different set of reasons. Asprey points to work showing they raise BDNF, the protein involved in growing new neurons. Their anthocyanins support retinal tissue and microcirculation, which is why he recommends them for eye health. Modest amounts—organic whole or frozen, no added sugar—are enough. Pair them with protein or fat if blood sugar is an issue. Other berries carry polyphenols and fiber too, but the human data on cognition, vascular function, and BDNF clusters around blueberries.
Oxalate numbers are inconsistent. Older lists often put a cup of raspberries around 48 mg and blueberries near 4 mg. Harvard’s more recent measurements flipped parts of that: half a cup of raspberries at roughly 2.5 mg, half a cup of blueberries higher. Different varieties, growing conditions, and lab methods produce different results. People who form calcium-oxalate stones or deal with unexplained bladder irritation still treat raspberries and blackberries as higher-risk on many practical protocols. For the rest of the population the gap is smaller.
The useful part of Asprey’s position is the one he has repeated for years: eat what works for your body rather than what looks good in a generic “eat the rainbow” graphic. Pair higher-oxalate foods with calcium-rich ones so the minerals bind in the gut. Stay hydrated. Notice how you feel. If raspberries leave you with joint pain or urinary discomfort, drop them. If they do nothing, a modest serving is fine for most people. Blueberries remain the lower-friction daily choice for the brain and eye benefits he highlights.
Whatfinger News has covered the same pattern before: the gurus who once sold every plant as automatic medicine now carve exceptions once the lab numbers and the patient reports accumulate. Personal testing beats the poster.
Ben’s take: skip the raspberry festival and buy the frozen blueberries. Your future self will notice the difference.
— The Whatfinger News Team: Michael Anthony and Ben, with Grok on edits and graphics
