Read The Health Benefits of Kiwis (Kiwifruit)
Any health expert would tell you how essential Vitamin C is to the health. It is nutrient that the body needs to grow and repair tissues, maintain skin and bone health, and strengthen the immune system. The lack of this specific nutrient can result in physical problems like nosebleed, dry and scaly skin, and inflamed gums and joints, to name just a few. One of the best remedies for Vitamin C deficiency is the consumption of foods that have very high levels of the vitamin; and there are quite a few. One of these is the kiwifruit.
The kiwifruit, or kiwi, is fourth in the list of top ten foods that contain the highest levels of Vitamin C, the other three being pepper, guava and kale. By eating a single kiwi, you can already fulfill your daily requirement of Vitamin C.
The fruit is very distinct in appearance and taste. Its size is comparable to that of a large egg that has a brown fuzzy skin. The pulp is bright green in color with a ring of edible black seeds at the center. The taste of kiwis, which can be sweet or a little tart, has been described as a refreshing combination of strawberries, bananas and melons.
Uniqueness and nutritional benefits are not the only good qualities that the kiwifruit can boast of, as the following remarkable facts reveal:
- People often associate the kiwi with New Zealand but it actually originated from China and was first known as the “Chinese Gooseberry.” New Zealand was the first country to cultivate the fruit outside of China and named the fruit “kiwi” due to its resemblance to the brown, fuzzy kiwi bird.
- A gold-fleshed variety of kiwi was developed by New Zealand in the 1980’s. The newer breed of the fruit is similar in size to the more common type but has no fuzz on the outer cover. The taste is also different, as the gold kiwi has a taste reminiscent of the mango fruit.
- The fuzzy skin of the kiwifruit is edible and is actually nutritious.
- Kiwifruits can be used as natural meat tenderizers owing to the presence of an enzyme that can break down protein.
- A natural facial mask made of pureed or mashed kiwifruit can keep the skin looking young and supple.
- If you have trouble falling asleep at night, it might be a good idea to eat a couple o kiwifruits one hour before bedtime. The antioxidants and serotonin present in the fruit is believed to not only help you sleep more quickly but more soundly as well.
- The kiwi vine is dioecious, which means that it possesses either a male or a female reproductive organ, but not both, as monoecious plants have. For successful pollination to occur, a male and a female plant have to be cultivated close to each other. Pollination can also be done by bees or by manually spreading pollen on female plants.