Kiwi fruit is a summer season fruit that provides a variety of health benefits. It is native to southeast China and has been recorded as being cultivated in the 8th century BCE. In the late 19th century, Kiwi fruit plants were introduced to Europe, and then the US, but the Kiwi fruit remained a curiosity and only interested botanists because of its beautiful shape. Before that, in the 1740s they were exported and introduced to France but didn’t arouse any particular interest.
In 1994 New Zealand discovered the fruit and would play a decisive role in distributing it. The fruit was originally named ‘Chinese gooseberry’ but in 1952 the very first cases of Kiwi fruit were sent to the United Kingdom, it tended to be difficult to promote amid the Cold War, the fruit then was renamed after their native bird.
The Kiwi fruit has many properties to help you on the inside, as well as the outside (your skin). They are furry and brown on the outside but have a vibrant green colour and sweet strong taste within, they are full of vitamin C, and vitamin K and are filled with antioxidants.
So why buy organic Kiwi fruit? So you can get the maximum benefits of the properties and eat fewer pesticides and herbicides which can cause cancer and other health issues!!
FUN FACTS:
- Kiwifruit has twice the vitamin C of an orange.
- Kiwi fruits contain about as much potassium as bananas
- Kiwi fruits’ emerald interior is green from chlorophyll, and each fruit can contain as many as 1,500 seeds, according to legendary food scientist Harold McGee.
Kiwi fruit can support heart health, digestive health, and immunity.
- Studies show that Kiwi fruit contains a digestive enzyme that helps digest proteins, such as those found in yoghurt, cheese, fish and raw eggs
- A small 2011 study found that eating kiwi fruit seemed
to improve sleep quality in its 24 participants. After 4 weeks of kiwi consumption, their sleep onset (the time it took them to fall asleep), duration of sleep and efficiency of sleep had all improved - If you are allergic to latex, you are probably allergic to kiwis.
- Kiwi fruit facilitates your digestion, controls blood sugar levels, improves heart health, treats/helps with asthma, and also helps to cleanse skin pores so acne doesn’t appear again.
What the properties help with:
- Vitamin C – stimulates the immune response
- Dietary fibre – helps reduce constipation and a variety of other gastrointestinal problems and discomfort and could also help with wheezing symptoms in asthma patients
- Vitamin E – helps protect the skin from sun damage and may help prevent skin disorders
- Vitamin K – helps bone health, helps blood clotting and may help avoid osteoporosis
- Potassium – relaxes the blood vessels which then helps manage blood pressure
- Folate – is essential for red blood cell formation and healthy cell growth and function
- Antioxidants – eliminate free radicals in the body and reduce oxidative stress
- Enzymes (Actinidain) – enhances upper-track digestion particularly gastric
- Phytonutrients – also work as an antioxidant and contribute to healthy immune function
- Good to eat when feeling down and depressed
When you eat Kiwi fruits they help your skin with:
- Reducing pores
- Brightening skin tone/complexion
- Reducing acne
- Reducing oiliness
- Prevents aging
There are many ways to eat kiwi fruit. You can eat it raw, add it to baked goods, turn it into juice, or use it to season and garnish food dishes.
But OVERCONSUMSUTION of kiwis may cause allergic reactions, rashes, swelling, oral allergy syndrome (OAS), dermatitis, pancreatitis, diarrhea, and latex allergies. In addition, it may interact with some types of drugs, dietary supplements, and herbs. It also may negatively affect the health of lactating and pregnant women. Kiwis contain calcium oxalate, which can be irritating to the throat and stomach if ingested in large quantities.
Recommended intake: Eating two kiwis per day will help support your vitality. If you are currently deficient in vitamin C, eating two kiwis every day could fix that and have positive outcomes related to your mood and energy.
A ripe Kiwi will keep for up to four weeks in the refrigerator and will even keep for up to 10 months in proper cold storage. To soften unripe kiwi, place them in a paper bag with a ripe banana or an apple; the kiwi should ripen in one or two days.
You can also freeze kiwi slices for use in smoothies and as garnishes — just peel and slice the fruit, place on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to zip-top freezer bags for storage.
Make kiwi jam, add it to your ice cream or smoothies, add to your pancakes, add to fruit tart and Pavlova. Kiwi fruits are also high in pectin, so they can be used to firm up pie fillings, just add a bit of pureed kiwi to your favourite fruit pie filling.
There are just so many ways to eat kiwi fruit!!
So if you ever see Kiwi fruits coming into the season, grab a few for the family or yourself because it is a good healthy snack that continues to enrich your body and skin with wonderful qualities and properties.
This was Tashi and I hope you enjoy this blog!!