Kiwifruit or simply kiwi, as it commonly known, is a fruit rich in fiber and vitamins, that has a strong taste, and many people add it to their juice.
Let’s find out more about!
- Kiwifruit is commonly shortened to kiwi in North America is the edible berry of several species of woody vines.
- It belongs in the genus Actinidia.
- Actinidia means… kiwifruit in greek!
- Another name for kiwifruit is Chinese gooseberry.
- The most common cultivar group of kiwifruit is oval, about the size of a large hen’s egg: 5–8 centimetres (2–3 inches) in length and 4.5–5.5 cm (1+3⁄4–2+1⁄4 in) in diameter.
- It has a thin, fuzzy, fibrous, tart but edible light brown skin and light green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture with a sweet and unique flavour. In 2018, China produced half of the world total of kiwifruit.
- Kiwifruit is native to central and eastern China.
- The first recorded description of the kiwifruit dates to the 12th century during the Song dynasty.
- In the early 20th century, cultivation of kiwifruit spread from China to New Zealand.
- In New Zealand happened the first commercial plantings occurred.
- The fruit became popular with British and American servicemen stationed in New Zealand during World War II.
- It later became commonly exported, first to Great Britain and then to California in the 1960s.
- Early varieties were described in a 1904 nursery catalogue as having “…edible fruits the size of walnuts, and the flavour of ripe gooseberries”,[6] leading to the name Chinese gooseberry.
- In 1962, New Zealand growers began calling it “kiwifruit” for export marketing.
- The name was commercially adopted in 1974.
- In New Zealand and Australia, the word “kiwi” alone refers to the kiwi bird or is used as a nickname for New Zealanders.
- Kiwifruit has since become a common name for all commercially grown green kiwifruit from the genus Actinidia.
- In the United States and Canada, the shortened name kiwi is commonly used when referring to the fruit.
- Nutrition-wise, kiwi fruits contain about as much potassium as bananas and a high amount of Vitamin C, more than oranges. It is also rich in Vitamins A and E, flavonoids and minerals. The kiwi fruit actually has twice the Vitamin E of an avocado, but has only 60% of the avocado?s calories.
- Though sweet, it’s low in calories.
- Kiwi fruits have high fiber content.
- Among health and beauty junkies, kiwifruits are popular ingredients in DIY face masks. Kiwis are rich in alpha hydroxy fruit acids, vitamin C, E and K. Kiwis are ideal for exfoliating, nourishing and anti-aging.
- The kiwifruit originated from China and was originally called the ‘Chinese Gooseberry’. The name was later changed due to the name being negatively associated with the Cold War.
- Did you know that the kiwifruit was named after its uncanny resemblance to the ‘fuzzy brown kiwi’ – New Zealand’s National Bird.
- Since kiwifruits contain up to 10% of recommended daily folate levels, pregnant ladies are encouraged to consume them for healthier babies!
- Kiwifruit is also packed with blood pressure-lowering potassium. In fact, a 100-gram serving of kiwifruit, that’s about one large kiwi, provides 15% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of potassium.
- The kiwi fruit actually contains more than the orange.
- Studies show that kiwi fruit contains a digestive enzyme which helps digest proteins, such as those found in yoghurt, cheese, fish and raw eggs
- A small 2011 study found that eating kiwi fruit seemed to improve sleep quality in its 24 participants. After 4 weeks of kiwi consumption, their sleep onset (the time it took them to fall asleep), duration of sleep and efficiency of sleep had all improved
- If you are allergic to latex, you are probably allergic to kiwis.
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