Kiwifruit often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a woody vine in the genus Actinidia.
The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit is oval, about the size of a large hen's egg. It has a fibrous, dull greenish-brown skin and bright green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture and a sweet but unique flavor, and today is a commercial crop in several countries, such as Italy, New Zealand, Chile, Greece and France.
Though most kiwifruit are easily recognized as kiwifruit their fruit is quite variable. The skin of the
fruit can vary in size, shape, hairiness, and color. The flesh can also vary in color, juiciness, texture, and taste. Some fruits are unpalatable while others taste considerably better than the majority of the commercial varieties.
Health Benefits of Kiwifruit :Kiwifruit is a
rich source of vitamin C and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin E. The fruit and skin contain flavonoids, actinidain, and adhered pollen, which may produce irritation in the mouth and throat of some allergic individuals.
Kiwifruit
seed oil contains on average 62% alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. Usually a medium size kiwifruit provides about 46 calories, 0.3 g fat, 1 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, and 2.6 g dietary fiber found partly in the edible skin. Kiwifruit is often reported to have mild laxative effects, due to its significant levels of dietary fiber.
Kiwifruit contains carotenoids, such as provitamin A beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Kiwifruit components, possibly involving vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids from its numerous edible seeds, have potential properties of a natural blood thinner. A study performed at the University of Oslo in Norway reported that consuming two to three kiwifruit daily for 28 days significantly reduced platelet aggregation and blood triglyceride levels, potentially reducing the risk of blood clots.
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. 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.
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. 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. 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 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. 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 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.
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. Recognised widely as a natural digestive aid, this is due to the unique combination of fibre and other components in kiwifruit.
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