7 Impressive Reasons to Eat Kiwis Every Day

The term “superfood” gets thrown around a lot these days. Chia seeds, berries, coconut oil, avocados, kale, and many others have all claimed the title at some point over the years. And while these foods certainly have some great health benefits, there’s also a lot of hype.

Yet, there’s one food with an imposing nutrition profile that flies under people’s radar far too often: The kiwifruit.

I always enjoyed kiwis for their sweet, tangy taste and the splash of color they added to my meals. But ever since I learned of all its health benefits, I’m nothing short of obsessed. And soon, you will be too!

History of the Kiwi

The Kiwifruit is a fuzzy brown fruit that’s the size and shape of a small egg. Although a major agricultural commodity of New Zealand, the fruit originally comes from China.

It was initially known as the Chinese Gooseberry but was renamed the kiwifruit after the iconic New Zealander bird. Supposedly, being likened to the round, brown-feathered body made the fruit more marketable!

Although kiwifruits have been around since 12th century China, they only became popular in North America in the 1980s.

Sadly, the kiwifruit is still one of the most under-consumed fruits, making up less than 3% of the global fruit bowl.

It’s my mission to ramp up that percentage by spreading the word about this fantastic fruit!

Nutritional Profile

At only 61 calories per kiwi, they fit into any diet plan and make an excellent addition to breakfast or as a snack.

The fruit is bursting with Vitamin C and has twice as much of the nutrient as an orange. Just one medium-sized kiwi contains a whopping 85% of your daily vitamin C requirements. (In fact, the only food I could find that rivals the kiwi for Vitamin C content gram for gram is red pepper.)

The kiwifruit also packs 3 grams of fiber, 6% of your daily vitamin E, and 31% of your daily vitamin K.

If you’re still not convinced of the kiwi’s merits, here are seven benefits that will prove they are a true superfood.

1. Aids with Weight Loss

Kiwis are a great, low-calorie fruit to support your weight loss efforts.

Its vitamin C content may also help trim your waistline; studies show that people with sufficient vitamin C in their bodies oxidize 30% more fat during moderate exercise than those with low levels of vitamin C.

And although kiwis contain about 6 grams of sugar per fruit, they have a low glycemic index. A low GI means the sugars are released more slowly into the bloodstream, preventing the fat-storing hormone insulin from surging after you eat it.

2. Boosts Immunity

The kiwi’s generous amount of vitamin C is well-known for its ability to boost the immune system by bolstering collagen production and thwarting inflammation.

But kiwis also contain lots of polyphenols and beta-carotene. Polyphenols are not only a powerful antioxidant; studies show they can boost the immune response.

Carotenoids — a pigment typically found in bright orange and yellow plants like pumpkins and carrots — impact immunity and may even help prevent cancer.

3. Supports Heart Health

The fiber content of kiwis helps lower cholesterol levels by reducing blood pressure and inflammation.

They act as a natural blood thinner that lowers the amount of fat in the blood that can clog arteries. One study even found that eating two to three kiwis per day for a month reduced people’s triglycerides (or fat in the blood) by 15% compared to those who did not eat kiwis.

It’s basically nature’s aspirin!

4. Improves Digestion

Kiwi’s respectable fiber content helps keep the digestive tract humming and prevents constipation.

The fuzzy brown fruit also contains actinidin, an enzyme that helps break down proteins found in meat, yogurt, cheese, fish, and eggs. Its protein-digesting abilities make it particularly effective for combating bloat.

One study even found that kiwis can help improve bad digestion, particularly if they consumed a protein-dense meal.

5. May Increase Longevity

Damaging oxidative stress is the disparity in the body between free radicals and antioxidants, which causes cell damage. It’s exacerbated by poor diet, environmental pollutants, and living a sedentary lifestyle.

Over time, free radicals can result in accelerated aging and a host of life-threatening conditions like:

• Chronic inflammation
• Cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Diabetes
• Asthma

Fortunately, studies show that kiwifruit helps protect against oxidative DNA damage due to its polyphenol and Vitamin C content.

6. Improves Sleep

Forget about a glass of warm milk; if you have trouble sleeping, try eating a couple of kiwis about an hour before you hit the sack.

One study found that kiwis may improve sleep quality and duration. After a month of eating kiwis before bed, researchers found that the time it took participants to fall asleep decreased by 35.4% while waking time after falling asleep decreased by 28.9%.

The kiwi’s Sandman abilities are thought to be due to its serotonin content, which plays a vital role in the sleep cycle.

7. Makes Your Skin Glow

Thanks to the fruit’s sky-high vitamin C content, kiwifruit helps your body create collagen, a protein that makes skin tissue.

The fruit also has a substantial amount of vitamin E, which studies show boost the effect of vitamin C. Vitamin E is also highly moisturizing and mitigates damage to cells caused by aging. (That’s why you often see Vitamin E in hand moisturizers!)

Another beautifying component of the kiwi is lutein, which has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin irritation and redness.

Lastly, kiwis are naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial, which is especially helpful for quelling acne and breakouts.

Final Thoughts

Kiwis not only taste great, but they are also a powerful fruit to add to your arsenal of life-extending foods.

You can eat them in smoothies, in a yogurt bowl, as a topping on your dessert, or all on their own as a snack! You can even eat the skin, and in fact, you should avoid peeling your kiwi to maximize the fruit’s benefits. (Just slice them thinly if the texture bothers you.)

They’re also affordable and easy to find in most supermarkets. You don’t need to spring for organic either; Kiwis are also one of the “Clean Fifteen,” a list of fruits and veggies that contain a low amount of pesticides in the U.S.

With the kiwi having so many benefits and readily available, there’s no reason not to add them to your diet!

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Originally published in In Fitness And In Health on Medium.