Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit

 

The kiwifruit (usually kiwi fruit in British English), often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a woody vine in the genusActinidia.

The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit ('Hayward') is oval, about the size of a large hen's egg (5–8 centimetres (2.0–3.1 in) in length and 4.5–5.5 centimetres (1.77–2.17 in) in diameter).

Kiwifruit are the nutrition powerhouse of fruit

Kiwifruit consistently rank at the top of fruit in nutrition density models which tell us exactly how nutritious food is. That means you get more vitamins and minerals per gram, and per calorie, of kiwifruit than most other fruit.

Kiwifruit are rich in vitamin C

While oranges have a deserved reputation as valuable sources of vitamin C, kiwifruit can also lay a claim on the vitamin C crown. In fact there is twice as much vitamin C in kiwifruit as there are in oranges. You only need one kiwifruit each day to get your recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

Other vitamins that kiwifruit are especially high in compared to other fruit

Vitamin E
It’s quite unusual for a low fat food, let alone a fruit, to be a good source of vitamin E. However, kiwifruit is a great low fat natural source of vitamin E, which is well known for its heart health and antioxidant properties.

Folate
Kiwifruit is a natural source of folate which women take to help prevent neural defects in their unborn babies. It also assists in brain and cognitive development in children and combats cardiovascular disease. Folate is so important many countries are considering adding it to flour or bread to ensure the population consumes sufficient amounts.

Potassium
A kiwifruit has about the same level of potassium as a banana - but only half the calories. This makes kiwifruit an excellent low-sodium option to access potassium, which is potentially beneficial for heart health and in the maintenance of blood pressure.

Kiwifruit are a good source of the carotenoid lutein 

Kiwifruit not only has one of the highest concentrations of lutein in fruits - but the lutein in kiwifruit has recently been shown to be really highly bioaccessible (better than from vegetables) and so it is bio-available - meaning it can actually do good things such as help to prevent age related deterioration of eye-sight.

Kiwifruit are naturally high in antioxidants and other potentially-beneficial phytochemicals 

Eating kiwifruit will provide your daily intake of antioxidants, such as polyphenols and carotenoids, to help fight the damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress.

Kiwifruit can help improve the function of your immune system 

Kiwifruit help ward off the effects of stress, inflammation and attack from bacteria and viruses. Recent and ongoing trials have shown kiwifruit to be highly-effective at beneficially modulating the immune system.

Eating just two kiwifruit a day has been proven to reduce the amount of oxidative damage to your cells and improve the repair of damaged Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) caused by oxidative stress 

Eating kiwifruit with a meal reduces the oxidative stress on your body from that meal - especially if it is high-fat food

Just two to three kiwifruit a day has been shown to reduce blood platelet aggregation 

Platelet aggregation is a known risk-factor for cardiovascular disease. Platelet aggregation contributes to arterial and blood vessel blocking, and kiwifruit have been shown to reduce it.

Kiwifruit are really great to relieve that bloated and blocked feeling 

Recognised widely as a natural digestive aid, this is due to the unique combination of fibre and other components in kiwifruit. 

Prevents asthma and other respiratory diseases

Studies in Italy performed on 18,000 6-7 year old children have demonstrated health benefits to the respiratory tract. The study found that children eating the 5-7 servings of citrus and kiwifruit per week had 44 percent less incidence of wheezing compared to children eating less than once a week. Nigh time cough was reduced by 27 percent, shortness of breath by 32 percent, runny nose by 28 percent, severe wheeze by 41 percent, and chronic cough by 25 percent. This is because of the high vitamin C content of the fruit.

Fights cardiovascular diseases

Eating kiwi fruit every morning has the same effect as aspirin for heart health (reduced blood clotting), but without the side effects such as inflammation and bleeding in the intestinal tract. According to a study conducted in University of Oslo, Norway, people who ate 2 to 3 kiwi fruit per day for 28 days reduced their platelet aggregation response (potential for blood clot formation) by 18 percent and lowered their blood triglycerides by 15 percent. This prevents a build up of deposits and plaques in the arterial walls, consequently, guarding against cardiovascular diseases.

Anti cancer

Kiwi contains a variety of flavonoids and carotenoids, which have demonstrated antioxidant activity. These phytonutrients are responsible for protecting your DNA from oxygen-related damage. By preventing DNA from being damaged, cancer growth is inhibited and prevented.

Digestive health

Kiwis are a very good source of dietary fiber. Fiber helps keep your digestive health in check and is good for binding and removing toxins from the colon, which is helpful for preventing colon cancer. Fiber also acts to prevent constipation and other gastro-intestinal issues.

Protects your eyes

Kiwi is a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, natural chemicals found in the human eye. Lutein helps to filter out damaging blue light, which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration and the development of glaucoma and cataracts. Zeaxanthin works hand in hand with lutein, contributing primarily to eye health. A study published in the June 2004 issue of the Archives of Opthamology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit (including kiwi) per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), which is the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.

Manage blood pressure

It is a very rich source of healthy electrolyte potassium. Potassium plays a major role in body cells by keeping the body fluids and electrolyte in balance, which help control heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium.

Good for skin

Kiwi is a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that can help against potential skin degeneration and work wonders for the health of the skin.

Fights male impotency

It contains the amino acid arginine, a well-known vasodilator that has been used to treat impotence in men.

Supports healthy birth

It has four peaches' worth of folate, which is essential for women before and during pregnancy. Folate helps to develop the blood cells for the baby in the womb.