The kiwifruit, also known as the Chinese gooseberry, was initially found growing wild in China. Because they are high in nutrients and low in calories, kiwis are a nutrient-dense food.
In 1904, after returning from China with seeds, a teacher introduced the fruit to New Zealand. New Zealanders gave it the name “kiwi” in honor of their national bird.
Because of their high vitamin C content, kiwis are known as “health foods,” but they also contain a wealth of other minerals. These might lower blood pressure, speed up the healing of wounds, support intestinal health, and more.
Nutritional Facts
Kiwis have an impressive nutrient profile.
The nutritional composition of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw, green kiwi flesh is shown below.:
- Calories: 64
- Carbs: 14 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Fat: 0.44 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Vitamin C: 83% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin E: 9% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 34% of the DV
- Folate: 7% of the DV
- Copper: 15% of the DV
- Potassium: 4% of the DV
- Magnesium: 4% of the DV
Benefits
1. Promote Heart Health
Potassium, a mineral vital for heart health, is abundant in kiwifruit. According to studies, this nutrient alone can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. According to one study, people who consume 4,069 mg of potassium daily have a 49 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease.
Consuming kiwis also lowers blood pressure levels. Consuming two to three kiwifruits daily may reduce plasma lipid levels and platelet hyperactivity, two conditions that can lead to cardiovascular problems.
2. Improves Digestion
Kiwi is beneficial for enhancing digestion because it contains a large amount of dietary fiber. Kiwi fruits also contain an enzyme called actinic, which can efficiently break down proteins in the gut in addition to their fiber content.
It is recommended to consume a kiwi after a substantial meal since it can aid in breaking down the tough proteins present in meat and fish, which sometimes induce bloating.
Additionally, kiwis have a mild laxative action that may aid an slow digestive system.
3. Excellent source of vitamin C
Kiwis are incredibly rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that helps shield your cells from oxidative damage and serves a variety of other vital functions in the body.
4. Reduces DNA Damage
The body’s imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants causes oxidative stress. This mechanism can potentially result in DNA strand breakage. Health issues may result from this, some of which may be challenging to identify or handle.
Antioxidants in kiwi fruit can lessen oxidative stress. In a study where patient’s cells were damaged with peroxide, those who were supplemented with kiwi demonstrated enhanced DNA self-healing following the peroxide application. This suggests that kiwi may aid in the prevention of chronic illnesses brought on by lifestyle choices, such as colon cancer, which is closely associated with DNA damage.
5. May Aid Diabetes Treatment
Research shows that eating kiwifruit can enhance one’s glycemic response.
Additionally, the fruit has a high water content, which makes it a perfect addition to a diabetes diet. There are only about 5 grams of glucose in 100 grams of the fruit. Therefore, it would have a minimal impact on blood glucose.
A medium kiwi also has 11 grams of carbohydrates, which is a bit less than most other fruits. The fruit’s fiber aids in controlling blood sugar levels.
6. May Aid Cancer Treatment
Kiwifruit extracts showed encouraging results in a research against oral cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the fruits lessened DNA oxidative damage.
Kiwifruit’s vitamin C fights free radicals. Cancer risk is greatly increased by an increase in free radicals.
More specifically, malignancies of the digestive tract are helped by the fibre in kiwifruit.
Sulforaphane, isocyanate, and indoles are three other crucial categories of chemicals found in kiwis. Carcinogens are known to be inhibited by these.
