Did you know that the kiwifruit is also known as Chinese gooseberry? Native to China (widely found in New Zealand with golden ones available in Italy) and named after the small kiwi bird, the kiwifruit is an oval-shaped fuzzy fruit with a luminous green flesh speckled with black seeds that can certainly add life to your fruit salads, smoothies and far more. As a youngster, my mum always used to hand me a kiwi with a spoon (boiled egg-style) as a sweet treat, but little did I know how super nutrient-dense these wonderful fruits are. Keep on reading to discover our Top 5 Health Benefits of Kiwi!
1. Packed with vitamins and minerals
Kiwi fruit isn’t widely known for having more vitamin C than an orange, but it’s true! They are also rich in vitamin E, vitamin K and potassium as well as being packed with antioxidants. Kiwi fruit is also known to be rich in Folate (one of the B vitamins and naturally-occurring form of Folic acid), which is thought to be very important for women during pregnancy for the development of the foetus.
2. High in fibre
Your average kiwi fruit will provide you with about 2-3g of fibre which is a vital nutrient for your digestive health. Luckily kiwi contains a bit of both types of fibre, insoluble and soluble, both of which help your digestive system run smoothly, preventing most digestive-related conditions. In case you’re wondering, yes, you can eat the skin which will then boost fibre intake by three times!
3. Improves eye health
Kiwi fruit is a good source of Lutein, which is an antioxidant carotenoid that reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Alongside other powerful antioxidants and their additional micronutrient benefits, vitamins E and C, it’s considered to be great for eyesight.
4. Great for cardiovascular health
Due to being rich in potassium, kiwi fruit has the ability to improve cardiovascular health by counteracting the effects of sodium, helping to keep blood pressure down. Potassium also helps regulate fluid balance, making it an excellent post-exercise snack.
5. Beneficial for sleep
New studies are showing due to the kiwi’s high levels of antioxidants and serotonin (a major happiness hormone neurotransmitter), that another effect is improved quality and quantity of sleep . There are a variety of benefits associated with serotonin, including the improvement of sleeping patterns, digestion, anxiety, mood and even bone health.
Try eating two kiwis before bedtime and see how it affects your sleep. Add them to your fruit cocktail desserts for a delicious dimension, and immune-boosting treat. Have you ever tried the smooth, bronze-skinned, aromatically luscious golden version which tastes even sweeter? Let us know what your fave kiwi recipes is below or @keepfitkingdom !
