KiwiFruit: Great Things Come in Small Packages

Apr. 12, 2013

Kiwifruit is native to China, where it has been eaten for many thousands of years. In the twentieth century, kiwi seeds were taken to New Zealand from China by missionaries. Originally called yang tao by the Chinese, the fruit’s name changed to Chinese gooseberries in New Zealand, and eventually to kiwifruit (to honor the national symbol of New Zealand, a bird which looks similar to kiwifruit in that it has a brown and fuzzy coat) when it was introduced to America. Kiwifruit production has grown to be very successful. Kiwi is now grown in California, which has helped to make kiwi a popular fruit staple in many U.S. homes. But kiwi is also available worldwide; produced mainly in New Zealand, the United States, Australia, and Chile, it is also grown in Japan, France, Greece, and Spain.

According to Dharma Singh Khalsa, medical expert and author of Food as Medicine, kiwi is one of the most under-rated healing foods. Though the kiwi is a small fruit, it is loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes, and other such important compounds that are essential for fighting and preventing an array of diseases. Furthermore, there was a study done at the University of New Brunswick in New Jersey where they evaluated the nutritional value of twenty-seven different fruits to see, ounce for ounce, which fruit provided the most nutrition. They found that kiwi, with an index score of sixteen, was the most nutrient-dense of all fruits. Second place was papaya at fourteen, and third place was a tie between oranges and mango with a score of eleven.

Another interesting study in the Journal of Medicinal Food looked at nine different fruits and fruit juices and their antioxidant capabilities. They found that eight of them, one of which was kiwi, had significant ability to reduce oxidative stress, which is the damage caused by free radicals. This demonstrated that kiwi has a significant ability to protect against cellular damage. Other similar studies have shown that kiwi not only has the ability to reduce oxidative stress, but additionally it helps to stimulate cellular repair from the damage that did occur from the free radicals! It can also help to protect DNA from damage and help to repair damage that has occurred. The amazing this is that one does not need to eat kiwi all day to get these benefits, these effects have been seen just by simply adding kiwi to a normal diet!

Kiwis also show to be beneficial for heart health by acting as a blood thinner. This is becoming increasingly significant to Americans today because more and more Americans are told to take an aspirin a day for the purpose of thinning the blood. But taking an aspirin a day can cause problems and internal damage, such as small breaks in the walls of the intestines. Kiwi is highly unlikely to cause any of the risk factors that are associated with daily aspirin use. Also, kiwi doesn't interfere with the effects of any medication.

Kiwis are very high in vitamin C and in fact, they have twice as much vitamin C as do oranges. Like other foods that are high in vitamin C, this makes them a great food for respiratory tract health. In fact, a study done in Italy looking at children ages 6–7 found that the more kiwi or citrus fruit these children ate, the less likely they were to have respiratory-related health problems like shortness of breath, asthma, wheezing, and night coughing. High amounts of vitamin C also help to strengthen the immune system and help prevent illness. Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant, so it is also a great food for anti-aging and keeping wrinkle-free, youthful looking skin! It is also a part of collagen production, which is important for strong and healthy joints and ligaments.

Kiwi is a great source of vitamins C, E, and A, potassium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and fiber. In fact, two kiwi fruits have about five grams of fiber! Furthermore, kiwi outranked bananas and oranges as the top low-sodium and high-potassium food!

Kiwi is usually available year-round, and when purchasing them, they should feel firm but not rock hard. If the kiwi fruit does not have some give when gentle pressure is applied, then they can be left out at room temperature for a few days to ripen, but be sure to keep them away from direct sunlight or heat. Putting a kiwi in a brown paper bag with a banana, apple, or pear will help the fruit to ripen more quickly. Ripe kiwi can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge, but store it away from other fruits and vegetables, which cause the kiwi to become overripe quickly.

2 Layer Mango- Kiwi Raw Cheesecake (Gluten/Dairy/Corn/Soy/Egg Free, Vegan)Cheesecake Crust