Feeling like eating some healthy tangy fruit this summer, how about kiwi? But do you know about ‘Kiwi health benefits?’ Well, it’s best when you need something sweet and refreshing. Kiwi is among the most nutrient-filled fruits you have ever tasted.

Popular for its vibrant colour and refreshing taste, a small fruit called kiwi has taken the hearts of many.

Including me! But that’s not all to it; many people don’t know about Kiwi’s health benefits. So, in this post, we will talk not just about Kiwi’s health benefits but also some of the best ways you can enjoy eating this delicious fruit.

About Kiwi Fruits

Kiwi fruit is an edible berry and usually has the same size as walnuts. It is named after the kiwi bird due to its strikingly similar appearance to the kiwi bird.

Kiwi is known to have originated in China. Thus it is often called Chinese gooseberry. China, New Zealand, and Italy are some of the largest producers of kiwi fruits.

Kiwi fruit has around 60 species. The most commonly sold species include fuzzy kiwi fruit, golden kiwi fruit, Arctic kiwi fruit, hearty red kiwi fruit, and purple kiwi fruit.

Kiwi can be eaten raw, cooked, and even used as the main ingredient to make smoothies, shakes, kiwi pavlova, fruit salads, cakes, etc.

Let’s look at the Nutritional composition of kiwi fruit (one green kiwi 70 g):

• Water – 58.17 g
• Energy – 43 calories
• Protein – 0.78 g
• Fibre – 2.1 g
• Calcium – 24 mg
• Carbohydrates – 10.6 g
• Vitamin C – 67 mg
• Magnesium – 11.9 mg
• Potassium – 221 mg
• Choline – 5.8 mg
• Phosphorus – 23.7 mg
• Vitamin K – 28.1 mcg

It also contains a small amount of vitamin E, Copper, iron, and some other vitamins. By reading this, one can guess that Kiwi’s health benefits will be numerous.

9 Kiwi Health Benefits

1) For a Healthy Heart

Nowadays, heart health has become a common concern. At times like this, kiwi can help support heart health. It possesses properties that help manage blood pressure and can reduce the risk of heart disease and or a stroke.

Furthermore, kiwi is known to contain a high level of dietary fibre. Kiwi and other fruits rich in dietary fibre have many benefits like regulating blood sugar levels, preventing intestinal cancer, relieving constipation, and lowering cholesterol, good for heart health.

Kiwis have been discovered to help prevent blood clotting and control blood pressure by lowering fat blood levels. This occurred without hurting blood cholesterol levels.

A study shows that eating kiwis regularly can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease ¹(CVD) and even replace the daily aspirin needed to thin the blood.

2) Good Source of Vitamin C

Most people think of oranges or lemons when looking for food rich in vitamin C. But do you know that kiwi fruit provides almost double the amount of vitamin C than an orange? Eating kiwis regularly can maintain your required vitamin C levels.

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient; it is a natural antioxidant and can relieve tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C in Kiwi also helps manage blood pressure and can keep your skin firm and elastic. It also helps maintain your blood vessels and bones.

Vitamin C is essential for cellular function and protects cells in the body from free radical damage. It helps the immune system by regulating tissue growth and repair. Well, there are numerous benefits of vitamin C.

So, if you are looking for something which can fulfil your vitamin C intake, kiwi is an option you should consider. Also, having more vitamin C makes it an excellent food to add to your morning eating routine.

3) Kiwi Fruit for Weight Loss

If you are looking for something tasty but healthy for your weight loss diet, you can’t possibly miss out on kiwi fruit.

Kiwis are low in calories, have a high water content, and are an excellent source of dietary fibre. All these things make it a perfect ingredient for your weight loss diet.

Eating them raw, using them in salads, adding them to your morning cereal, or the best, making juice or smoothies out of them, make them a perfect snack or breakfast for you.

A high amount of vitamin C also plays a vital role in weight reduction. Vitamin C in kiwi helps metabolize fats, an essential factor for weight reduction in one’s body.

Kiwi fruit has a low Glycemic Index (GI), which helps measure how food affects the body’s blood sugar level. A low Glycemic Index² is good, as it means sugar contained in the food is released slowly. Many studies show that food with a low Glycemic Index can help reduce weight.

So, if you are looking for something that can help drop some of your excess pounds, eating kiwi is one of the best alternatives for your weight loss journey.

4) Can Help Asthma Patients

Though there isn’t any food that can trigger an asthma ³attack, there is still some food that asthma patients should avoid that can trigger allergic reactions. At times like this, kiwi is suitable for them to eat, but it can also help treat asthma.

Well, how does that work? It’s because vitamin C, minerals, potassium, and other essential nutrients present in kiwi are tricky at work. Many studies and research found that kiwi can reduce asthma symptoms and improve one’s breathing.

The latest research showed that children who eat kiwi fruit regularly exhibited fewer sneezing and coughing symptoms than children who do not consume it, or the frequency of consumption is relatively minor.

Kiwi has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing the inflammation caused by allergic reactions in the respiratory tract. Furthermore, scientists recommend eating kiwi regularly to relieve and reduce oxidative stress.

So, this green flesh fruit is something asthma patients must include in their balanced diet, as the benefits of kiwi are pretty high for them to ignore.

5) Can Prevent Vision Loss

Kiwi health benefits include preventing vision loss. Never heard of it! Right? It is something you wouldn’t have imagined while reading this post. This fact is actual.

Before I move forward with explaining how this fact is actual, let me first clarify for you if you misunderstand. Kiwi can prevent vision loss, but it cannot improve your vision, i.e., it can help maintain one’s eye health and delay the onset of eye diseases.

Moving forward on how kiwi helps protect your eyes, kiwi contains a good level of 2 antioxidant nutrients, popularly known for protecting eyes. These antioxidants are lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and Zeaxanthin can help rebuild the macula, prevent eye diseases like cataracts, and decrease the chances of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

It is, in turn, also beneficial for your nervous system. A healthy nervous system can benefit your retina, which has the highest concentration of nerves and serves as the core of communication for the eye.

So, to maintain your eye health, I would like to recommend, that I eat at least one kiwi fruit a day. You are free to choose which form you would like to consume. Eat it raw, as a smoothie, as juice, add it to a salad, and pair it with Greek yoghurt are a few ways to add it to your daily diet.

6) Improves Skin Health

Who doesn’t like healthy and glowing skin? Kiwi’s nutritional benefits are no joke. It can help enhance your skin health. Many people aren’t aware of it, but Kiwi has a lot of skin benefits.

Let’s look at some of the benefits it can offer your skin:

• Kiwis can prevent premature ageing – When discussing Kiwi health benefits, this one can be considered one of your face’s best benefits. This fresh fruit rich in vitamin C helps in collagen ⁴production, which can help you maintain your skin and reverse the signs of ageing. So, bye-bye to wrinkles and fine lines with kiwis.
• Brighten up the skin – As it has exfoliating and cell regenerating properties, it can brighten up your complexion and tone your skin.
• A nourishing moisturizer – You would have often seen actresses putting sliced kiwi on their faces on TV. Why do they do that? Well, it’s simply because kiwi contains vitamin E and antioxidants that help moisturize and hydrate the skin.
• Reduces dark circles – The nutritional value of kiwi helps promote blood circulation, which can help you take care of those dark circles under your eyes.
• Tackles oily skin and removes acne – Well, oily skin and acne have always been one of the worst combinations for our skin. Tackling them with a single ingredient is like killing two birds with a single stone.
• Fades hyperpigmentation – Kiwi has exfoliated properties that can help fade away any hyperpigmentation ⁵and spots.

So, it can make you feel refreshed on the outside and the inside.

7) Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) isn’t a disease, but it may affect your lifestyle or lead to mood disorders in some cases. One has to be careful of what they consume if suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

As such, kiwi is an excellent fruit for them. Studies show that adults diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS⁶) who ate kiwi fruit for a continuous 4-5 weeks had less constipation and improved bowel function. It was found that IBS sufferers who had more constipation problems should especially include kiwi in their diet.

Thus, I would like to recommend eating at least 2 kiwi fruits daily, not only for IBS sufferers but all those people who suffer from similar stomach-related problems.

8) Help With Sleep-Related Issues

I won’t say it can cure your insomnia, but it may help you with it to a certain extent. It is because many researchers have found that kiwis have sleep-promoting effects. In a 4-week study, it was found that people eating two or three kiwis an hour before going to bed can fall asleep more quickly, their quality of sleep was improved, and their total sleep time increased to a certain extent.

There is still much research ongoing on Kiwi’s sleep-promoting effects. Nevertheless, its mainly attributed to the presence of serotonin and antioxidants. Serotonin is a chemical that helps in modulating sleep.

Some studies even suggest that a decrease in serotonin can lead to insomnia. Kiwi is a fruit that is rich in antioxidants and serotonin. Furthermore, vitamin C and carotenoids being their crucial component, are also partly responsible for their sleep-promoting effects.

So, if you’re seeking a quick way to fall asleep and increase your sleep quality, eating two kiwis before bed is a simple and effective solution.

To know more about ways to increase serotonin – click here.

9) Kiwi Fruit Reduces DNA Damage

Stimulating DNA repair, extraction, modulation of DNA damage, reducing DNA frugality, etc. Just what are these things? These are nothing but the results you will be getting if you google ‘kiwi’ with ‘DNA.’

DNA damage can change how protein functions in the body, potentially creating health complications like cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, high levels of free radicals in the body can damage DNA, leading to many different types of cancer.

Therefore, kiwi is a superfruit that can help you avoid it. Kiwifruit protects against oxidative DNA damage by increasing antioxidant levels and boosting DNA repair. All these effects are likely to reduce the likelihood of mutagenesis alterations leading to cancer.

I would say this is the most potent Kiwi health benefit of all. The importance of DNA damage prevention and DNA reparation is just too great to be overlooked.

Some of the Best Ways to Enjoy Kiwi Fruit

Eating kiwi raw every day can be tedious. So, now I will tell you some of the best ways to use kiwi as an ingredient.

1. Smoothies – Kiwis are great for smoothies. There are many beautiful combinations with kiwifruit for making smoothies. Some of my favourite combinations are melon and kiwifruit smoothie, banana kiwi smoothie, and green kiwi fruit with almond milk smoothie. Adding a cup of Greek yoghurt and half a tablespoon of honey makes it even more delightful.
2. Kiwi Pavlova – Pavlova is a cake-like dessert having a crispy crust and soft inside. If you are a dessert lover, you can’t miss it. Just looking at the sliced kiwi above it can make you drool.
3. Kiwi Crunch – Have you ever tried a Kiwi Crunch? If not, try it right away. It is one of the best breakfast snacks, filled with grapes, yoghurt, bananas, citrus juice, and finally, sliced kiwi.
4. Kiwi Parfait with Greek Yogurt – There can be nothing better than a kiwi parfait for your healthy and tasty breakfast. All you need is some peeled or diced kiwis, lime zest, Mint sprigs, Granola, Greek yoghurt, and a little sugar or honey. Topping it with blackberries makes it even more extraordinary.
5. Kiwi Cobbler – A kiwi peach cobbler is one of the best choices for heart-healthy diets. This dessert is low in fats as well as sodium. To make a refreshing kiwi cobbler, just toss some ice, mint leaves, vanilla bean, silver tequila, freshly peeled kiwi, and chilled club soda.
6. Kiwi Jams – You may buy the Kiwi jam in the store or make it yourself, which is pretty simple. You need to blend kiwis, apples, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and a little sugar.
7. Kiwi Kick-Start – This is another drink that will make you feel refreshed in the morning. Just blend some kiwi, limeade, fresh mint, and sugar. Oh, don’t forget the ice! And here you have a delicious drink to kick-start in the morning.

Are Kiwis Good for Everyone?

Nope, some people experience adverse side effects after eating kiwis. Let’s take a look at some of these side effects:

• Kiwi Allergy – Some people may experience allergic reactions after consuming kiwis like itching of lips and mouth, skin rashes, or swelling.
• Pancreatitis Problem – Overeating kiwifruit can cause acute pancreatitis. It may be harmful in the long run.
• Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) – Overeating kiwis have been associated with many cases of Oral Allergy Syndrome.
• Cross-Allergic Reactions – People allergic to avocados, pollen, hazelnuts, or latex may experience a cross-reaction with kiwifruit.
• Interaction with Specific Drugs – Eating kiwis can lead to addictive effects when eaten with some anti-fungal medicines. These drugs may include aspirin, anti-coagulants, heparin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Dermatitis – Individuals who regularly consume a lot of kiwis may acquire skin problems like dermatitis.

Be it any food; overeating can be dangerous. Do consult your doctor or health care provider if you experience any of these symptoms or are concerned about kiwi allergies.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to Kiwi health benefits, the list is endless. Isn’t it fascinating how a small fruit could provide so many health benefits while also being delicious? After reading this post, I can assure you that you can’t overlook Kiwi’s health benefits. If you find kiwi health benefits incredible and intriguing, try regularly eating two kiwis daily.

If you liked this article, here is something more.

FAQs

1. How many Kiwis can one eat in a single day?

Ans. You can eat at least one Kiwi in a single day.

2. Why is Kiwi known as the healthiest fruit?

Ans. Kiwi helps us to improve our immunity to a great extent, it consists of vitamins C, E, K and folate and thus it is the healthiest fruit.

3.  Can Kiwi help us to lower our body temperature?

Ans. Yes, Kiwi has a cooling effect on our bodies.

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Last Updated on February 19, 2024 by Suchi