Kiwi?

Are we talking about kiwi birds or kiwifruit? (Kiwifruit)

The bright green flesh and black seeds of the kiwifruit are packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange. The most common species of kiwifruit is the Actinidia deliciosa, otherwise known as Hayward kiwi. If interested, California kiwifruit is available November through May while the New Zealand crop hits the market June to October, making these delicious items available year round.

Native to China, the kiwifruit was originally named Yang Tao. In the early 20th century, the fruit was brought to New Zealand by missionaries. In 1960, it was renamed the Chinese Gooseberries and a year later, they made their first appearance at a restaurant in the US. They were “discovered” by an American distributor that felt that the US market would benefit from these fruit. The import of this product happened in 1962, were the distributor changed the name to kiwifruit, to honor the native bird of New Zealand, the kiwi, whose brown fuzzy coat resembled the skin of this unique fruit. Currently, Italy, New Zealand, Chile, France, Japan, and the United States are among the leading commercial producers of kiwi.

Kiwifruit is more than just an exotic flair to a fruit salad. They are unparalleled for their nutrient density, health benefits, and consumer appeals.

Vitamin C: Each serving of kiwifruit has nearly two-and-a-half times the recommended amount of vitamin C, proven to boost the immune system. This nutrient is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, neutralizing free radicals that can cause damage to cells and lead to problems such as inflammation and cancer.

No Fat: Kiwifruit is a fat free fruit, an important consideration in today’s healthy diets.

Fiber: Two kiwifruit contain more fiber than a bowl of bran cereal, a great way to maintain heart health, regular digestion, and lower cholesterol.

Potassium: A serving of California Kiwifruit has more potassium than a banana, ideal for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and for releasing energy during exercise.

Antioxidants: Kiwifruit is an excellent source of antioxidants which are important in reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Low Glycemic Index: With a glycemic index of 52, kiwifruit is a fat-free, low-carb fruit that is safe for diabetics.

Magnesium: Two kiwifruit deliver 30mg of magnesium, which improves nerve and muscle function while boosting energy levels.

Lutein: Kiwifruit contains the phytochemical lutein, which works to prevent age-related blindness and protect eyes from various kinds of damage.

Folate: With nearly 10% of the daily recommended value of folate, kiwifruit is a good way to protect health of both mother and baby during pregnancy while helping prevent birth defects.

Zinc: The amount of zinc content in kiwifruit helps men produce testosterone, but everyone enjoys its other benefits like healthy hair, skin, teeth, and nails.

Vitamin E: Kiwifruit is one handful of fat-free sources of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps lower cholesterol and boost immunity.

Studies have been done to see just how beneficial kiwifruit can be. Researchers have been fascinated with kiwi’s ability to protect DNA in the nucleus of human cells from oxygen related damage. Forastiere F and Sestini P did a study with 18000 children aging 6-7 years old from northern and central Italy to show that those eating more kiwifruit and other citrus fruits (5-7 serving per week), had 44% less incident of wheezing compared to children that were eating the fruits less than once a week. The studies show that children with asthma or other respiratory problems, eating the fruit helped them significantly.

To make sure the kiwi is ripe, hold them between the thumb and forefinger, and gently apply pressure; those that have the sweetest taste will yield gently to the pressure. It is best to eat at the peak of ripeness, ensuring that most amount of nutrients. Kiwi can be left to ripen for a few days to a week at room temperature, away from sunlight. Place them in a paper bag with an apple, banana, or pear to help speed the ripening process. They can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The skin, full of nutrients and fiber, can be eaten, merely rub off the peachlike fuzz.

The effects kiwifruit has on the human health is monutmentus, so just buy some kiwifruit and slice them up in fruit salad or eat them as is.

Enjoy!