Top proven reasons to eat more kiwi | health benefits| nutrition| uses and recipes

Some of the health benefits of eating kiwi fruit include constipation relief, promote heart health, useful in skin diseases, diabetic complications, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, boost immunity, act as antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent. It is rich in antioxidants, helps to prevent oral cancer, useful in sleeping disorders and great detoxifier.

Kiwi nutrition value, facts and calories

  • The scientific name of kiwi is Actinidia deliciosa (fuzzy green) and Actinidia chinensis (golden).
  • It is also known as Chinese gooseberry.
  • A 100 gm of kiwi fruit contains about 61 calories.
  • It is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.
  • A 100 gm of kiwi fruit contains 14.7g Carbs (5% RDI), 3g Fiber (12% RDI), 0.5g Fat (1% RDI), 1.1g Protein (2% RDI), 87IU Vitamin A (2% RDI), 92.7mg Vitamin C (155% RDI), 1.5mg Vitamin E (7% RDI), 40.3% Vitamin K (50% RDI), 0.1mg Vitamin B6 (3% RDI), 25mcg Folate (6% RDI), 34mg Calcium (3% RDI), 17mg Magnesium (4% RDI), 24mg Phosphorous (3% RDI), 312mg Potassium (9% RDI), 0.1mg Copper (6% RDI), 0.1mg Manganese (5% RDI)kiwi-health-benefits-nutrition-recipes-uses

Amazing Health benefits and uses of kiwi fruit

Useful in Diabetic Complications

Kiwi fruit is very useful in dealing with diabetic complications like diabetic ulcer and delayed wound healing. Natural compounds in the kiwifruit including protein-dissolving enzymes (Actinidin) improved different aspects of the wound healing process.

A pilot study indicated that applying kiwifruit on neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers led to a significant reduction in the size of the foot ulcers and faster wound healing.

In another studyDiabetic neuropathy is a complication of diabetes causing damage to the nerves and kiwi fruit peel extracts might contribute to the prevention of the development of diabetic neuropathy by blocking the MG-mediated intracellular glycation system.

Lower blood pressure

Adding kiwi fruit in diet helps to lower blood pressure (BP) and useful for people with hypertension.
A recent study, among men and women with moderately elevated BP, intake of three kiwifruits was associated with lower systolic and diastolic 24-h BP compared with one apple a day.

Relives Constipation

Study has found that increasing dietary fiber intake in terms of kiwifruit improves constipation.

In recent study, kiwifruit and kiwifruit-derived supplements demonstrated a clinically meaningful increase in bowel movements in healthy individuals.

Useful in Sleep disorders

Kiwifruit consumption may improve sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adults. This finding may be useful in treatment of various sleep disorders.

In a study, kiwifruit consumption before sleep improved sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adult patients.

Promote heart health

Consuming kiwi fruit is good for heart health, reduces the risk of dangerous blood clots, helps to reduce elevated triglycerides levels and provide protection against various cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis and heart failure. Kiwi fruit is rich in bioactives that are known to improve endothelial function. Improvement in endothelial function is connected to good cardiovascular health.

In a study, kiwifruit consumption reduces platelet aggregation and blood triglycerides in human subjects.

Boost immunity and Antimicrobial

Study has shown that supplementation with vitamin C rich kiwifruit is associated with improvement of important neutrophil functions, which would be expected to translate into enhanced immunity.
Neutrophils are the body’s primary defenders against invading pathogens. The antimicrobial effect helps to resolve the inflammatory episode of the infection.

Lowers cholesterol

Consuming kiwi fruit helps to lower cholesterol. Kiwi fruit is effective in treatment and prevention of diseases like Arteriosclerosis and Hyperlipidemia.

In study, hawthorn and kiwi fruit extracts are found superior to simvastatin in lowering cholesterol.

Anti-Inflammatory

Eating not only kiwi fruit but kiwi plant stem has shown medicinal anti-inflammatory properties.

A study has shown that kiwi stem extracts could be useful in preventing inflammation mediated diseases.

Detoxification

According to a study, intake of a diet that are rich in fruits and vegetables including green tea, onion, kiwifruit helps to protect against the genotoxicity or DNA damage due to heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) activated by human xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes expressed in immortal mammalian cells.

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) can be formed during the cooking of meat and fish at elevated temperatures and are associated with an increased risk for cancer.

Anti-bacterial, Anti-oral cancer, Anti-HIV

Study has shown that Kiwifruit contains compounds which exhibit anti-oral cancer, anti-HIV, antioxidant and antibacterial activity.
This makes kiwi as valuable fruit to eat to prevent HIV Infections, Oral Cancer and diseases associated with oxidative stress.

Useful in skin diseases

According to a study, Kiwifruit may have a therapeutic role in skin diseases associated with reduces cell proliferation, energy production and collagen synthesis of human skin cells.
Consuming and applying kiwi fruit has proven beneficial to heal various skin conditions, enhance collagen production that helps to keep skin young and healthy. Due to its anti-aging property it is often used in many face masks and cosmetic creams.

Antioxidants

Kiwifruit are rich in antioxidants that helps to  protects against oxidative DNA damage in human cells and useful in protecting body against various free radical damage.

Kiwifruit recipe ideas and uses

  • Try kiwi yogurt healthy snack recipe
  • Add kiwi fruit into your smoothie, juice drinks or salads.
  • Try adding small pieces of kiwi fruit into salsas, dips or guacamole.
  • Mix kiwi with honey, lemon juice and mustard, and use as healthy salad dressing.
  • Blend kiwi with lime juice and honey or brown sugar to adjust sweetness as per taste, then freeze it and enjoy this healthy kiwi Popsicle.