KIWI FRUITS..and HEALTH BENEFITS

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.