Print
Category: Health Book
Hits: 1244
Kivifruit

What is Kiwi? Powerhouse of Antioxidants - Proven Health Benefits Of Kiwifruit

Health benefits of kiwi include skin care, improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, and prevention of strokes. It also aids in the treatment of cancer, insomnia, macular degeneration, and diabetes. Due to the flavonoid-rich compounds found in kiwi, it also helps during pregnancy and promotes the absorption of iron in the body. Besides, the anti-microbial properties of kiwi guard against a range of pathogens and strengthen the immune system.

Kiwifruits lower your BP, balance cholesterol levels, and reduce blood clotting to keep your heart healthy. Their lutein and vit. A improve eye health, while vits C and E avert DNA damage. Actinidin in kiwis help digest complex proteins, while their fiber eases constipation. Packing in 178% of the vit. C you need daily, they boost immunity and prevent cold, flu, and asthma attacks. Kiwis can also strengthen bones, check anemia, and promote sleep.

 

What is Kiwi?

Kiwifruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry, is a delicious berry of a woody, twining vine and is popularly known by its shortened name ‘kiwi’. It belongs to the Actinidia genus which includes about 60 species. Globally, the most commonly consumed varieties are the ‘fuzzy’ and ‘golden’.

Kiwifruit is native to China, where it is also the national fruit. Originally known as ‘Yang Tao’, itis an oval-shaped, dull brown colored fruit with a fuzzy texture. The inside pulp is a vivid, semi-translucent, bright green flesh with a radiant pattern of lighter-colored spikes, freckled with a few tiny, edible black seeds. Kiwifruit has a unique and invigorating flavor with a soft and creamy texture.

Italy, New Zealand, France, Japan, Chile, and the United States are the major contributors to the commercial production of this fruit, where it went through various name changes. After going through multiple names, the fruit was finally named as ‘kiwi’ in the honor of the national bird of New Zealand for its small, fuzzy, brown appearance resembling the fur coat of the flightless brown kiwi bird.

Kiwis are small fruits that pack a lot of flavor and plenty of health benefits. Their green flesh is sweet and tangy. It’s also full of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. They also have a lot of antioxidants and are a good source of fiber. Their small black seeds are edible, as is the fuzzy brown peel, though many prefer to peel the kiwi before eating it.

Placed under the category of exotic fruits, kiwi often features as a topping in pavlovas or in fruit bowls, salads and smoothies. Very rarely it is cooked; in desserts especially, it is used fresh as an enzyme present in it tends to break down milk proteins rather quickly, interfering with the final texture of the dish. It also acts as a tenderizing agent for meats, and is commonly used in the preparation of roasts and curries. However, to make the most of its nutritional value, it is said that the best way to have it is on its own, as a raw fruit.

 

Kiwi Nutrition

Kiwi is an excellent source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Other vitamins including vitamin A, folate, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), and vitamin K (phylloquinone) are also present in good amounts. The mineral wealth of kiwi includes a tremendous quantity of potassium along with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. All these vital nutrients in the fruit come with an added bonus of dietary fiber. A 100 gram serving of kiwifruit has around 61 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates. Thus, a small kiwi fruit stores a treasure of nutritional surprises.

Nutrient Kiwi green | %DV Kiwi gold | %DV
Fiber 3 g | 12% 1.4 g | 6%
Calcium 34 mg | 3.4% 17 mg | 1.7%
Iron 0.31 mg | 1.7% 0.21 mg | 1.1%
Magnesium 17 mg | 4.25% 12 mg | 3%
Phosphorus 34 mg | 3.4% 25 mg | 2.5%
Potassium 312 mg | 8.9% 315 mg | 9%
Vitamin A 87 IU | 1.74% 23 IU | 0.46%
Folate (B9) 25 mcg | 6.25% 31 mcg | 7.7%
Vitamin C 92.7 mg | 154.5% 161 mg | 178%
Vitamin E 1.46 mg | 7.3% 1.4 mg | 7.3%
Vitamin K 40.3 mcg | 50% 6.1 mcg | 7.6%
Lutein+Xeazanthin 122 mcg 24 mcg

 

Health Benefits of Kiwi

The growing global popularity of the kiwifruit attributes to an amazing blend of its unique appearance, flavor, and nutritional assets. [2] Benefits of the fruit for medical conditions have been discussed as under:

 

Can Kiwifruits Cure Dengue?
There are anecdotes afloat about how kiwifruits help treat dengue by raising the platelet count hugely. Kiwi is obviously a tastier option than the bitter papaya leaf juice for healing dengue, but since this has not yet been clinically proven, it may be better to stick with the papaya leaf juice cure.

Do Kiwifruits Have Side Effects?
Unfortunately, yes. The protein actinidin that helps in digestion can also produce allergic reaction in kids and in people with latex allergy. This could manifest as rashes on the skin, tingling in the mouth, swollen lips, abdominal cramping, and breathing difficulties in severe cases. Since they delay blood clotting, you should avoid having kiwis before a surgery and if you are on blood-thinning medicines.

Side Effects

Other Side Effects