10 Health Benefits of Kiwi Fruit: Nutrition and Side Effects

Are we bored of consuming the same fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, etc.) daily? We have news about a new variety of fruit for you that is healthy, comes with countless health benefits, and is recently looming on the market. Do you want to know about it? It’s none other than kiwi – the small furry egg-type fruit with slices, actively green in color.

This wonder fruit is an immunity booster and helps you with digestion, weight loss, and blood pressure management. Here’s not the end…this magical fruit is also a detoxifying agent that cleans out toxins from water and assists you in combatting various ailments. Can’t wait for any more to know all the health benefits of the fruit, Kiwi? Then, follow this writeup and we promise, you will get to know all the important information about Kiwi. So, let’s proceed…

What is Kiwi Fruit?

Kiwi fruit is a kind of fruit that appears plain and simple with a fuzzy brown-colored covering outside and bright emerald green flesh inside. If you cut this fruit into slices, you will find tiny black seeds in ring form within the green flesh. These black seeds are edible.

Consuming kiwi will make you feel extremely refreshing and taste unusually tangy. The scientific name of kiwi (a China-originated fruit) is Actinidia deliciosa. It was first discovered in northern China at Yang Tao’s or Chang Kiang Valley’s mountain ranges. Different people call this fruit by different names. Other than kiwi, some people call it Mihoutau while other calls it Macaque peach.

The Chinese first introduced the seeds of this small fruit to the country of New Zealand (the existing host of the world’s best kiwi industry) in the early twentieth century and after that, New Zealand became one of the well-known producers of this fruit. At present, different states of India like J & K, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, etc are also the producers of this fruit.

Kiwis are a rough and tough kind of fruit that grows all over the years. So, each and any time you visit a fruit store, you will get freshly arranged kiwis ready for you to be delivered. The California people usually grow this fruit from November to May and the New Zealand people from June to October. The usefulness of kiwis is immense.

The fruit safeguards you from DNA damage and also are a good choice for those who have diabetes or are prone to diabetes. Also, it maintains your alkaline balance and saves you from macular degeneration. If you are constipated or are suffering from insomnia, just resort to this fruit and your problem will be solved within no time. Kiwis are also effective for reducing kidney stone formation and eradicating free radicals from your body.

Doctors usually prescribe eating this fruit to pregnant women thinking of the usefulness of the fruit for them. Moreover, kiwi fruits are enriched with various crucial vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients such as

• Folate
• Copper
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Fiber
• Copper
• Antioxidants
• Potassium

Kiwis are of many types and colors (nearly 50 varieties are found). The colors vary from custard gold to bright pink. Also, they taste different. However, two types of kiwis are commonly found in the market. They are-

• Green Hayward Kiwis:

This type of kiwi has a blended flavor of pineapple, banana & strawberry and tastes very tart.

• Golden kiwis:

This type of kiwi is not much tart as the Green Hayward kiwi and comprises a bronze-colored skin. The kiwis’ one edge embodies a spiked hood and in terms of flavor, they taste tropical.

What is the nutritional value of kiwi?

In case you are searching for a fruit that stores room for nutrients, then kiwi is the one you should go for. This tiny healthful fruit is meager in calories or fat but rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Moreover, the fruit comprises a glycemic index ranging from low to moderate. Apart from that, the other sought-after nutrients in the fruit are carotenoids like beta carotene, lutein & zeaxanthin.

Here are the nutritional facts about kiwi-

100 gram of kiwi comprises-

• 61 Calories
• 3 milligrams of Sodium
• gram of Protein
• 0.5 grams of Total Fat
• 312 milligrams of Potassium
• 15 grams of Total Carbohydrate
• 5 percent Vitamin B6
• 1 percent Vitamin A
• 34 milligrams of Calcium
• 0.31milligrams of Iron
• 71 milligrams of Magnesium
• 0.14 milligrams of Zinc
• 0.13 milligrams of Copper
• 34 milligrams of Phosphorus
• 1.46 milligrams of Vitamin E
• 25 micrograms of Folate, Food
• 0.5 milligrams of Betaine
• milligrams of Tocotrienol
• 52 micrograms of Carotene
• 122 micrograms of Lutein Plus Zeaxanthin
• 7.8 milligrams of Choline
• 40.3 micrograms of Vitamin K
• 0.027 milligrams of Thiamin
• 0.098 milligrams of Manganese
• 14.7 grams of carbohydrate
• 0.025 milligrams of Riboflavin
• 0.341 milligrams of Vitamin B3
• 0.183 milligrams of Vitamin B5
• grams of total dietary fiber
• 0.15 grams of sucrose
• 4.11grams of glucose
• 0.15 grams of sucrose
• micrograms of selenium
• 4.35 grams of fructose
• 0.19 grams of Maltose
• 0.17 grams of Galactose
• 0.029 grams of total saturated fatty acids
• 0.047 grams of total monounsaturated fatty acids
• 0.287 grams of polyunsaturated acids.
• 0.047 grams of Threonine
• 0.051 grams of Isoleucine
• 0.015 grams of Tryptophan
• 0.066 grams of Leucine
• 0.061 grams of Lysine
• 0.053 grams of serine
• 0.184 grams of glutamic acid.
• 0.044 grams of Proline
• 0.06 grams of Glycine
• 0.044 grams of Phenylalanine
• 0.031 grams of Cystine
• 0.053 grams of Alanine
• 0.081 grams of Arginine
• 0.057 grams of Valine
• 0.034 grams of Tyrosine
• 0.126 grams of Aspartic Acid
• 0.027 cubic grams of Histidine

10 Health Benefits of Kiwi Fruit:

Kiwi fruits have many health benefits. 10 of the crucial health benefits among them are-

1. Kiwis keep your asthma in control:

The larger proportion of antioxidants as well as Vitamin C present in kiwi fruit makes it good for asthma patients. The wheezing and breathlessness that Asthma patients face are unbearable. Eating kiwis regularly can improve these symptoms of Asthma and helps asthma patients as well as others to lead a healthy life.

2. Kiwi fruits may save you from heart attack and normalize your blood pressure:

Do you have high blood pressure? Are you suffering from any heart ailment and fearing heart attack or stroke? Then, consume kiwis regularly and hurl your fear away. Research shows that eating kiwis regularly positively impacts your health as the fruit has the power to ameliorate your high BP (regulates your diastolic or systolic blood pressure). The credit for it goes to the Vitamin C and antioxidants present in kiwis that contribute to the lowering of your one’s high BP.

3. Kiwis save your DNAs from getting damaged:

DNA damage or breakage of our body’s DNA strands, which usually occurs due to oxidative stress, is the cause of many of our bodily health crises. Some of these health issues are even so severe that they don’t get detected easily and even if somehow get detected, the treatment is much more complicated. Various scientific studies have demonstrated that the antioxidants present in kiwi fruits comprise a special kind of healing effect that curtails oxidative stress in people and also helps in repairing damaged DNA.

4. Kiwi fruits may protect you from long-term cancers:

Some cancers such as colon cancer fall in the category of long-term malignant cancers and may occur due to the damage of DNA in one’s body. Since kiwi fruits are enriched with antioxidants and comprise a rehab property it is capable of cutting off oxidative stress from one’s body and repairing damaged DNA. So, when the root of the long-term cancers gets treated you will be left with no chance of confronting such cancers. That’s why eating kiwis regularly may protect you from long-term cancers.

5. Kiwis are good for healing inflammation in your body:

Inflammation in the body is quite a serious thing and it turns dangerous when it’s related to arthritis. This kind of inflammation generally becomes a big issue as it gives rise to many other kinds of ailments like heart disease, stroke, etc. Kiwi fruits comprise a lot of vitamin C which can fight against free radicals in your body and heal your inflammation.

Besides, the fruit comprises an enzyme named Bromelain (also found in pineapple, green papaya, etc) that gets released into your bloodstream once you consume it and breaks down the proteins and inflammatory complexes, thereby healing the inflammation.

6. Kiwis prevent blood coagulation and lessen fat composition in your blood:

Are you an aspirin-recommended patient who takes an aspirin daily for blood thinning and improving heart health? Why go for this medication with side effects (GI tract ulcer or inflammation) when you are getting a side-effect-free natural drug for your body?

Have just 2 to 3 kiwis a day and you are all set to go without aspirin. Kiwis are known for their natural blood thinning properties that prevent your blood from accumulating fat in it, thus regulating your blood pressure normally without any negative impact on your body’s cholesterol level. This fruit also impedes blood clotting and saves you from various risk factors.

7. Kiwi assists your slow digestive system to work faster:

Have a slow digestive system? Trust it on kiwi and its dietary fiber. This fruit breaks down the food particles into smaller elements quickly and helps in digestion. The credit also goes to the enzyme actinic present in kiwi, which is an effective remedy for the fast digestion of proteins in your gut. It smashes down even the toughest proteins present in meat and fish and thus saves you from bloating. Also, the mild laxative effect of kiwi is ideal for treating the slow digestive system of a person.

8. Kiwi strengthens your immunity a lot:

Kiwi is flooded with Vitamin C and thus is a great food for good cellular function. It ensures that your cells don’t get affected by your body’s free radical damage. Besides, eating kiwi regularly repairs your damaged tissues and makes them grow, thereby promoting your immune system. Furthermore, kiwis are also super helpful in warding off flu, cough & cold, and infections.

9. Kiwis are a healthy option for your eyes:

Macular degeneration and vision loss are serious ailments when it comes to eye problems. Eating kiwis daily prevents these eye-related issues and boosts your eyes’ functioning. The credit for this goes to the two eye vitamins, zeaxanthin and lutein, that are present in the fruit, kiwi. Both of these vitamins act as antioxidants and boost the generation of Vitamin A (a vital nutrient for the eyes) within your body.

Also, these vitamins present in kiwi can prevent excess light from harming your retina by absorbing them. As a result, you don’t get cataracts or other ailments easily in your eyes. Kiwi also comprises copper, a nutrient vital for boosting your nervous system functioning, and thus it ensures the healthful behavior of your eyes (as the functioning of one’s eyes is related to his/her nervous system).

10. Kiwi makes your skin look better and healthy:

Vitamin C in kiwi along with some other components synthesizes a nutrient named collagen in our body. This collagen supports our skin’s structure and also consolidates our bones. Apart from that, the Vitamin C present in this fruit treats your acne and pimples effectively by curtailing your pores’ sebum generation. Blending the extract of this fruit with aloe vera gives you a fine mixture. Applying this mixture to your face and keeping it like that throughout the whole night will make your skin acne-free and give it a natural glow.

What are the side effects of kiwi?

Kiwis rarely have any side effects. However, some people who are allergic to kiwi may confront allergic reactions (either instantly or within thirty minutes) which may cause breathing problems in them or affect their blood circulatory system. Such allergic reactions may include irritation in your mouth, life-threatening allergic consequences within the whole body, etc. Also, a few people who consume kiwi get allergic swelling in their pancreas resulting in acute pancreatitis.

What are the Uses of Kiwi?

Kiwi is a very useful fruit. It has many uses-

• It has laxative properties and hence helps in treating constipation
• It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent
• It controls your blood pressure
• It protects you from liver damage
• It’s rich in antioxidants and thus boosts your immunity
• It staves off cancer
• It doesn’t permit cholesterol or fat to accumulate in your artery
• It protects you from gum diseases
• It guards your body against various microbial organisms
• It is good for diabetic patients
• It has the capability of improving your urine output
• It prohibits the development of tumors in your body
• It’s good for asthma patients
• It helps in giving you relief from painful sensation
• It diminishes your blood cholesterol level
• It’s beneficial for your skin
• It supports the generation of fresh blood cells in your body
• It’s good for your heart as it keeps heart ailments away
• It makes your hair fall lesser
• It makes your bones stronger
• It saves you from age-related blindness
• It’s good for insomniac patients
• It’s good for digestion
• It staves away your depression
• It dissolves away kidney stones
• It makes your body absorb iron better and hence is good for anemic people
• It is used in making various desserts and salads
• It’s helpful in wine production
• It’s used in various jams, jellies, juices, etc
• It’s used for tenderizing meat by some people
• It comprises plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that keep you healthy
• Its peel is required for creating natural sleeping aids

Benefits of kiwifruit for weight loss:

Are you continuously trying to lose weight without success? Then, kiwi fruit may be the actual thing that you need for it. The fruit is full of dietary fiber and is low in calories. Also, it comprises a good quantity of water. The main ingredient in kiwi that helps you to lose weight is vitamin C. This vitamin is present in large proportion in kiwi and helps manage your levels of blood cholesterol. Also, it promotes your gut health, normalizes your blood pressure, and upgrades your immune system. Moreover, the vitamin C in kiwi greatly metabolizes your body fat making you lose weight faster more safely, and naturally.

Also, kiwis are low in sugar and high in fiber, which keeps your stomach full. Thus, they are good for controlling your blood sugar levels and promoting weight loss.

FAQs on the benefits of kiwi fruit: