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KIWI FRUIT Benefits
This fuzzy-skinned, egg-shaped fruit originally came from China and it used to known as Chinese gooseberry. However, it was not popularised until earlier this century by growers in New Zealand and was eventually renamed after the country’s national emblem, the flightless kiwi bird. The fruit’s bright green flesh is an excellent source of vitamin C. A single kiwi fruit provides more than the daily adult requirement for the vitamin, which is essential for wound healing and a healthy immune system. Kiwi fruit are a good source of the mineral potassium which helps to counteract the high sodium content in a typical Western diet, and has been linked to healthy blood pressure. The fruit also supplies useful amounts of soluble fibre which helps to lower blood cholesterol levels; when fats are digested soluble fibre can bind to cholesterol causing it to be excreted as waste instead of it being reabsorbed by the body. The sugar content of kiwi fruit is around 10 percent, and the average size fruit supplies about 121 kilojoules. Its taste varies from sweet to tart. It can be used as garnish and adds an exotic touch to fruit salads. |