The kiwifruit, native to northern
China, was first brought to and cultivated in New Zealand at the turn of the
20th century and was then known as the Chinese Gooseberry. When the time came
to export the fruit, to avoid the high duties charged on berries, the name was
changed to the kiwifruit, or kiwi because of the fruits shared characteristics
with New Zealand's national symbol, the kiwi bird, which is also small, brown
and fuzzy.2
Kiwis are a nutrient dense food,
meaning they are high in nutrients and low in calories. The possible health
benefits of consuming kiwis include maintaining healthy skin tone and texture,
reducing blood
pressure and preventing heart disease
and stroke.
This MNT Knowledge Center feature is
part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It provides a nutritional breakdown of the fruit and an
in-depth look at its possible health benefits, how to incorporate more kiwis into your diet and
potential risks when consuming kiwis.
Nutritional
breakdown of kiwis
A Kiwifruit is rich in vitamin C
Per medium fruit, the kiwi contains:
- Calories: 42
- Protein: 0.8 grams
- Total fat: 0.4 grams
- Fiber: 2.1 grams
- Vitamin C: 64 milligrams
- Vitamin A: 3 micrograms
- Iron: 0.2 milligrams
- Potassium: 252 milligrams
- Folate: 17 micrograms
The fuzzy little kiwi also packs in
the vital nutrients vitamin E, copper, vitamin K, choline, magnesium and
phosphorus.
