We often go in search of tasty fruits to satisfy our taste buds among many delicious fruits for a healthy snack. Like the others around, many of us might get into a pattern of adding the same kinds of fruit, filling our carts with apples, bananas, or oranges, to please our sweet tooth. It’s time to step out from the same old routine if you are getting bored. As many of us know Kiwi fruit has lot of health benefits with its rich nutrition facts.
Points to know about Kiwi fruit
Kiwi, a small fruit originated in Northern China, which is smaller in size than an apple. It is known as a national fruit of New Zealand. It is an excellent source of nutrition and packed with a lot of flavour. Its brown fuzzy skin makes make us notice its presence amongst many other fruits even if we have never eaten it. It if filled with juicy pulp inside which is in brilliant green colour and tiny black seeds. Kiwi is mostly preferred for medical purpose.
According to some departments of agriculture, Kiwi contains calories, potassium, dietary fibre, protein, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin k, vitamin A, magnesium, folate and sugar in it.
Kiwi is a fruit that can be eaten in any way either by slicing it into pieces or biting in the same way like an apple. It has to be added in everyone’s diet.
Healthy Benefits of Kiwi fruit
- Improves heart health
- Helps to improve digestion
- Beneficial for weight loss
- It is known to create alkaline balance
- Helps to lower blood pressure
- Provides protection against DNA damage
- It helps to clear out toxins
- Provides a shield against Macular degeneration
- Helps to fight cancer
- Helps to fight heart disease.
Nutrition facts of Kiwi fruit
Besides being a little one, kiwi is an amazing power food and a nutritional power house. It has low fat content about 0.4 grams and low in calorie too. A kiwi fruit which is medium in size provides 42 calories and this fruit is a rich source of vitamins and dietary fibre. Per ounce, this fruit has higher vitamin C content compared to most other fruits. Kiwi even contains choline, magnesium, iron, phosphorus etc having low to moderate glycaemic index. It also contains lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene, all named carotenoids in it.
Nutritional facts per 100 grams:
- 60 calories
- 0.5 gram – Total fat
- 3.1 mg – Sodium
- 312 mg – Potassium
- 14 gram – Total carbohydrate
- 1 gram – Protein
Vitamins and Minerals
- 1.1% – Vitamin A
- 0.04 – calcium
- 1.55 – Vitamin C
- 1% – Iron
- 4% – Vitamin B-6
- 5% – Magnesium
The above-mentioned facts are dependent on the quality of the fruit.
Reasons to make kiwi a regular part of your diet
Boosts Immune and Respiratory Health
To be a powerful antioxidant and immune booster, kiwi may enhance immune function and reduce the likelihood of cold and flu- like illness development which is especially true for the children and adults aged above 65 years. Kiwi contains a good quantity of vitamins in it. The C vitamin in it not only improves the immune system, it also helps for better breathing and reduces asthma symptoms. Even Respiratory track infection can be reduced with intake of four fresh kiwis per day. Wheezing may be reduced in children who eat this fruit and shows beneficial effect on lings functioning.
Improves digestion and Reduces Constipation
Daily intake of kiwi improves our digestion as it is a rich source of fibre and cuts down the constipation providing greater stool frequency typically needed for humans. It also treats conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and other bowl diseases and improves overall bowl function. Kiwi contains an enzyme named proteolytic also known as actinidin that helps in breaking down the protein and greatly enhancing the digestion.
For a Healthy Heart
To help people suffering from low or high blood pressure or hypertension, Kiwi is the best choice as it has a good source of potassium in it. Kiwi a day helps more than an apple a day which is not known by many of us. Few research’s say an individual’s blood pressure reducing likelihood of heart attack or a stroke can be maintained by taking 3 kiwi fruits daily but it’s great work shows us improvement with intake of a smaller number of fruits. Triglycerides can be lowered by providing heart benefits with Kiwi’s dietary fiber.
Controls bold Clotting
In addition to immune boost and lowering the blood pressure, kiwi is capable of reducing blood clotting too, by eating two to three kiwis daily. It is done by reducing the amount of fat present in our blood.
Develops Bone health
As the deficiency of Vitamin k leads to the risk of fractures and weaker bones, stronger and healthier bones will be the result of intake of kiwi, as it contains rich amount of vitamin K and traces of calcium and phosphorus. Osteoporosis, a bone related illness and many other can be reduced.
Rich Anti-cancer Properties
According to the National Cancer Institute, high levels of free radicles in human body can cause damage to DNA resulting in various types of cancers. So, our plates must be filled with any type of food that treats cancer or that can reduce the risk of cancer. Kiwi protects our body from free radicles that are linked to cancer by providing a high range of antioxidants. By eating Kiwis regularly, the growth of tumours may be supressed keeping us out of danger.
Improves Eye health and Skin appearance
High levels of zeaxanthin Lutein present in this fruit protects our eyes and prevents age factored vision loss. The good number of vitamins in kiwi helps our skin to look better and vitamin c and antioxidants opens the way for our skin to tighten-up, reducing acne related issues, fights skin inflammation and skin degradation. This fruit provides vitamin E or tocopherol which is the antioxidants properties of vitamin E which is able to protect to protect skin from UV rays/ sun damage and may help prevent skin from disorders. Applying few slices on the skin may provide fast result. A research found that by eating three servings of kiwi fruit a day, macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of vision loss was decreased by thirty-six percentage.
Promotes Liver health
The nutrition facts of kiwi fruit can help in promoting liver health. NAFLD – Non – Alcoholic fatty liver disease can be treated by specific components present in kiwi fruit. This is something that is not caused by the intake of alcohol, NAFLD liver condition is caused by accumulation of excess of fat in the liver.
Good Quality sleep
Serotonin that has sedative effect is present in kiwi fruit. By eating two kiwis one-hour prior going to bed will help the people who has difficulty in sleeping, helps them to fall asleep faster according to self-reported measures. We can eat kiwi every day by including them in breakfast. We can even have them at night for a better sleep.
Healthy Weight Loss
Kiwi is a low calorized fruit and an excellent source of fibre. It is a great fruit for the one’s who are looking for a healthy weight loss. When you are in the mood of sweet for your taste buds, choose kiwi in place of cookies, ice- creams, cakes or sweets.
During pregnancy
The Doctors usually advise the mother during pregnancy to take additional folate, as it protects the foetus from developmental issues such as neural tube abnormalities. Kiwi fruit contains folate which is essential for the cell division.
Ways to eat Kiwi
Kiwi can be blended in a smoothie or can be eaten as they are preferred not to cook to retain their rich vitamin properties in it. Kiwi cups can be made by cutting kiwi into half, eating each half with a spoon leaving the skin on.
Some of the supplements are typically made out of the Kiwi extract either in powered or capsule form so, kiwi can also be taken as a supplement for the health purpose depending on factors like age, health issues, or while treating something. But before you take any supplements you must read the instructions on the supplements you take and consult your doctor for any quires or to be safe or before starting new set of supplement regimen.
Kiwi on Skin
Many beauty products are added with kiwi as one of the ingredients as it works wonders on skin. Either by eating or by applying this fruit can show results on our skin.
To benefit from kiwi fruit nutrition facts, a mask can be prepared for skin using kiwi pulp which rejuvenates skin, properties in this fruit can fights acne, able to prevent sun damage, its vitamin properties promotes fairness, lightens the dark circles, soothes wrinkles and it has anti- aging properties. Kiwi is also used as an ingredient in many shampoos as it prevents premature greying, fights hair loss, and also promotes collagen growth on scalp if used as a hair pack.
Recipes
To reap the fruits benefits you can easily incorporate kiwi into number of recipes. They are great to be eaten as they are and even when added to our breakfast sliced on the top of Greek yogurt. Few other delicious Kiwi recipes are:
- Kiwi smoothie with Strawberry
- Kiwi with Banana fruit salad
- A fruit cocktail can be prepared with Kiwi, pineapple, mango and strawberries chunk
- Green smoothie or a juice can be made with kiwi, spinach, apple, pear and other preferred fruits of your wish
- Freeze slices of kiwi and eat them as a dessert or a snack to cool your mind and body on a hot day
- Sliced kiwi fruit into cube shape and dazzle some honey over them for an afternoon snack
As with food, the options are limitless, you can try experimenting with other fruits or methods as well get the most out of kiwi fruit and its nutrition facts.
Health Risks
Though kiwi is known for its unique taste, anybody who is under medication must be conscious before eating Kiwi as some facts about nutrients in kiwi fruit may interact with the medicine and may cause adverse effects.
Besides Kiwi being safe for most of the people, many people experience allergic reactions to it. Taking kiwi in large quantities may give rise to some side effects. Some symptoms start shortly after biting the fruit are: scratchy throat, swollen tongue, difficulty while swallowing, sore mouth etc. And anyone who experience hives, rashes and above-mentioned symptoms in severe must seek medical attention.
Precise
Kiwi fruit has lot of facts to say about its nutrition. It is a powerhouse of antioxidants and good source of vitamins and nutritional content and known to improve health in many ways, which is easy to carry. It is a sweet flavored fruit serves as a colorful garnish for a variety of dishes and suitable in salads.
Since ancient times it has been valued for its medicinal properties and the fiber content of this fruit helps to bind and move the toxins from our intestinal track. Kiwi works wonder on skin. Nowadays this fruit is easily available in the market fresh, dried and in the form of juice. Their sweet tangy taste and mushy texture make them an amazing addition to your diet.
References
- https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/cjpp-2012-0303#.XrZb0WgzYdU
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00394-018-1627-z
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00394-018-1627-z
Sirisha B