The kiwi is a kind of fruit that has its origins in China. In fact, this fruit was originally named the Chinese gooseberry. It was not until fruit growers from New Zealand renamed it for their country’s national bird that the fruit was known as kiwi.

Choosing and Buying the Best Quality Kiwi

A plump and fragrant kiwi has the sweetest and fullest flavor. To check its ripeness, a kiwi should yield to mild pressure, just like peaches that are ripe. An unripe kiwi is firm because it still has a hard core. Unripe kiwis have an astringent and tart taste. It is recommended to ripen kiwis before consuming them. Ripe kiwi fruits should be kept far away from other fruits. This is because kiwi is overly sensitive to ethylene gas (which other fruits emit), making it ripen faster. Also, ripe kiwi fruits should be consumed within a week or two.

Do not choose shriveled or mushy-looking kiwis, as these are already past the optimum condition. This goes the same for kiwis that have wet spots or bruises.

Nutrients Found in a Kiwi

Kiwi is an excellent source of vitamin C. In fact, kiwi contains 20 percent more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Kiwi is also a good source of fiber, copper, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium and manganese. It is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically alfa-linoleic acid. Kiwi has very low saturated fat content. Much of the calories obtained from eating kiwi are due to the sugars that are present.

Benefits of Kiwi to the Body

The vitamin C present in kiwi helps the body improve its immune system. As vitamin C is an antioxidant, it can help protect the arteries from damage done by free radicals.

In a study done on 6 to 7 year old children, kiwi has been shown to help children have less respiratory diseases like wheezing, night coughing and breath shortness. Another study involving kiwi showed that people who ate 2-3 kiwis everyday had a reduced potential for the formation of blood clots. It has also shown that the triglyceride level of those kiwi eaters had been reduced by 15%.

Possible Risks in Eating Kiwi

Kiwi can be a possible allergen. This is because of its actinidin content. Actinidin is an enzyme that dissolves protein that can trigger allergic reactions. Common symptoms of a kiwi-triggered allergy include mouth, palate and lip itching. Collapsing and wheezing are also symptoms of an allergy attack caused by kiwi.