benefits of kiwi fruits

Benefits of Kiwi Fruits

1. Kiwi fruit
Kiwi fruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry or Macaque peach, is the national fruit of China. The sweet fruit tastes like a combination of pineapple, banana and strawberry. Named after the flightless brown bird kiwi, the fruit is a delight to the taste buds and is loved by all.
2. Description
The kiwifruit is a little fruit holding great surprises. The most common species of kiwifruit isActinidia deliciosa, commonly known as Hayward kiwi. Inside of this small, ovalshaped fruit featuring brown fuzzy skin resides a brilliant, semitranslucent emerald green flesh speckled with a few concentrically arranged white veins and small black seeds. Its flesh is almost creamy in consistency with an invigorating taste reminiscent of a mixture of strawberries and bananas, yet with its own unique sweet flavor.
3. History
The kiwifruit is a fruit with a very interesting history and whose recent rise in popularity reflects a combination of an appreciation for its taste, nutritional value, unique appearance and, surprisingly, its changing name.Native to China, kiwifruits were originally known as Yang Tao. They were brought to New Zealand from China by missionaries in the early 20th century with the first commercial plantings occurring several decades later. In 1960, they were renamed Chinese Gooseberries.
4. Nutrient Values in Kiwi Fruit
The kiwi fruit isrich in vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, dietary fiber and magnesium. It contains low amount of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat. Kiwi fruit has more vitamin C than equal amount of oranges. Children fed 57 portions of kiwi fruit developed 44 percent less chances of being affected by wheezing as compared to those who were fed once a week, according to an Italian study published in the Thorax, an International Journal of Respiratory Medicine (BMJ group).
5. Beautiful Skin
The skins support system, is reliant on vitamin C as an essential nutrient that works in our bodies as an antioxidant to help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution and smoke, smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Kiwi fruit contains very good levels of vitaminA, vitaminE, vitaminK and flavonoid antioxidants such as betacarotene, lutein and xanthin.
6. Better Sleep
According to a study on the effects of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems, it was found that kiwi consumption may improve sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adults with selfreported sleep disturbances. kiwifruit functions as blood thinner function similar to aspirin; thus, it helps prevent clot formation inside the blood vessels and protect from stroke and heartattack risk.
7. Heart Health
The fiber and potassium in kiwis support heart health. An increase in potassium intake along with a decrease in sodium intake is the most important dietary change that a person can make to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to Mark Houston, MD, MS, an associate clinical professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School and director of the Hypertension Institute at St Thomas Hospital in Tennessee.
8. Lowering Blood Pressure
Because of their high potassium content, kiwis can help negate the effects of sodium in the body. It is possible that a low potassium intake is just as big of a risk factor in developinghigh blood pressureas a high sodium intake.
9. Constipation Prevention
The kiwi may have a mild laxative effect and could be used as a dietary supplement especially for elderly individuals experiencingconstipation. Regular consumption of kiwifruit was shown to promote bulkier, softer and more frequent stool production. Kiwifruit seeds are an excellent source of omega3 fatty acids. Research studies show that consumption of foods rich in omega3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and help prevent the development of ADHD, autism, and other developmental disorders in children.
10. Helps Your Digestions with Enzymes
Raw kiwi contains actinidain, a proteindissolving enzyme that can help digest a meal much like the papain in papaya or bromelain in pineapple. Kiwifruit components, possibly involving vitamin E and omega3 fatty acids from its numerous edible seeds, have potential properties of a natural blood thinner. Consuming two to three kiwifruit daily for 28 days significantly reduced platelet aggregation and blood triglyceride levels (similar to popular mainstream aspirin therapy), potentially reducing the risk of blood clots.