It may be questionably small, brown and hairy, but kiwifruit is full of surprises once you get through the skin to enjoy the taste and health benefits of the delicious flesh.
Here are eight surprising facts you probably didn’t know about kiwifruit:
1. Not all kiwifruit is “fuzzy” on the outside.
The SunGold variety of kiwifruit has smooth, hairless skin. SunGold is also yellow on the inside, which is a surprise in and of itself because Americans are more familiar with the green kiwifruit variety with the fuzzy skin. SunGold kiwifruit has a sweet, tropical taste and three times the vitamin C of oranges.
2. You don’t peel kiwifruit.
Before I actually learned the best way to get the goodness from a kiwi, I was doing a hack job with my paring knife. Learn from my mistakes and follow these two easy steps: cut (with a knife) and scoop (with a spoon). That’s it! Half a kiwifruit fits perfectly in the hands of my 4- and 2-year old girls, and they love scooping it out with a spoon.
[See: 10 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 10 Minutes.]
3. Kiwifruit is a good meat tenderizer.
Both green and SunGold kiwifruit contain a natural enzyme called actinidin that helps break down protein. Simply use kiwifruit as a marinade for 10 to 15 minutes before tossing your beef, chicken or fish on the grill. Make your own marinade with two green kiwifruit, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and a dash of salt and pepper.
4. Kiwifruit can help keep blood sugar stable.
Thanks to its low glycemic index and fiber content, kiwifruit in any meal can help provide lasting energy and help ward off those dreaded blood sugar spikes and crashes. Green kiwifruit is 39 and SunGold is 38 on the glycemic index. Fruits with a GI less than 55 are considered carbohydrate-containing foods suitable for people with diabetes. While fruits are a source of simple sugars, when you eat kiwifruit, you’ll experience a slower rise in blood glucose levels than any other fruit.
[See: The Best Diets to Prevent — and Manage — Diabetes.]
5. Got digestive concerns? Kiwifruit may help.
Kiwifruit helps combat digestive issues in several ways. For constipation: Researchers believe the soluble and insoluble fibers help aid in laxation for a desirably soft, bulky stool. For digestive comfort: Kiwifruit is low in FODMAPs and recommended for people with IBS seeking digestive relief. To beat bloat: The actinidin not only tenderizes meat, but also helps break down protein you consume, making digestion a bit easier. Try making a simple green kiwifruit salsa with chopped kiwi, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, salt and pepper.
6. It’s food for your gut!
Our gut microbiome is busy working overtime to support immunity, mood regulation and metabolism. The beneficial bacteria living in our intestines need to eat well if they are to thrive. Enter prebiotic fibers, essentially “food” for the good-guy bacteria. Kiwifruit is a prebiotic so when you eat them, you’re also feeding your 100 trillion little helpers in your gut. Give yourself a two-for and enjoy a yogurt topped with kiwifruit for a healthy dose of prebiotics and probiotics.
7. They’re a delicious source of micronutrients.
Besides the wealth of health benefits I already mentioned, various nutrients found in kiwifruit will give you a nutritional boost. One serving will provide you with more than your daily needs for vitamin C, folate and potassium. Kiwifruit also contains vitamin E, another strong antioxidant, which prevents damage caused by free radicals. They are a good source of lutein and beta-carotene, two important phytonutrients that help protect our eyes.
[See: The 38 Best Diets Overall.]
8. You can “measure” the taste of kiwifruit.
The best-tasting kiwifruit is achieved through a measure called the brix. The higher the brix, the sweeter the fruit. The dry matter content (where all water is removed) indicates how high the brix will be once the fruit is ripe. A higher dry matter means the better quality the kiwifruit will be — it stores better and tastes better. Not all kiwifruit growers put so much focus on the brix, and that’s why not all kiwifruit is created equal. You can really taste the difference!
Look for green and SunGold kiwifruit in stores now through October, and create your own surprising ways to enjoy them.
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Get the Scoop on Kiwifruit: 8 Delightful Tidbits for Fruit Lovers originally appeared on usnews.com
