Kiwi: Furry, Round, Healthy

They are both small, somewhat egg-shaped and have a brownish, hairy exterior. Thus, the kiwi fruit and the bird kiwi not only bear the same name, but also look similar in some ways. Unlike the bird, however, the kiwi fruit is a popular food. With twice as much vitamin C as an orange and at the same time hardly any calories, the kiwi is perfect for weight loss. But the sour fruit is also a popular refreshment as a healthy snack between meals.

Kiwi – calories, vitamins, nutrients.

Already with a large kiwi can cover the daily requirement of an adult in vitamin C: 80 to 120 mg of the vitamin are in 100 grams of kiwi.

In addition:

One kiwi provides only about 43 kilocalories.

This type of fruit also contains the enzyme actinidin, which leads to the breakdown of protein. Therefore, kiwifruit should not be mixed with dairy products in the raw state, otherwise they will take on a bitter taste.

Buying kiwis: When are they ripe?

When buying kiwifruit, you should consider beforehand whether you want to consume them soon, or prefer to store them a little longer. This is because kiwifruit are often sold either rock-hard and therefore completely unripe, or overripe. Overripe kiwis give way when pressed with the thumb and should better not be bought, as they are not recommendable in terms of taste and on top of that have less vitamins.

At best, kiwifruit are still hard, with a tight, unshriveled skin. This allows them to be stored well at home. Then, as soon as the skin yields slightly to pressure, they are ripe and ready to eat.

Fruit in winter

How to eat a kiwi?

Generally, kiwifruit are cut down the middle and the green flesh is then spooned out. However, the peel can also be eaten, it tastes similar to a gooseberry. In the case one however only unsprayed organic kiwis eat.

Recipes with kiwi

Due to its typical sour taste and the appealing coloring of the flesh, kiwi is popular not only when eaten raw. Typical kiwi recipes are therefore kiwi punch, kiwi jam or kiwi pie. In New Zealand, kiwi juice and wine are also well-known.

In all recipes, however, it should be noted that raw kiwifruit is not compatible with dairy products and gelatin due to the enzyme actinidin. Therefore, it is better to use steamed or canned kiwifruit for cream or fruit tarts. When sliced, kiwifruit with its dark to light green coloring and black seeds also makes a good food decoration.

5 Facts About Kiwis – Anna Quaglia

Kiwi allergy

Due to its high vitamin C content, kiwi can cause skin irritation in people with sensitive skin. In addition, the fruit acid it contains often causes a burning sensation on the tongue, palate and lips. In that case, it may help to eat fewer and less frequent kiwifruit.

In case of a proven kiwi allergy, however, consumption should be completely avoided, because allergic reactions to kiwis often have a high degree of severity. A kiwi allergy is often accompanied by a cross-allergy to pineapple, papaya or pollen.

Origin and production

Originally, the kiwi comes from China and is therefore also called “Chinese gooseberry”. However, the fruit is now also grown in New Zealand and many other countries with subtropical or temperate climates. In addition to New Zealand, Italy is now the main country where kiwifruit are grown. In the meantime, kiwis are almost as much a standard item in German supermarkets as apples and bananas.

The fruits are harvested hard-ripe and then stored at cool temperatures of just above zero degrees. In this way, they can theoretically be kept for up to six months. However, if kiwifruit are actually stored for several months, they lose flavor and usually have glassy flesh. High-quality kiwifruit are therefore put on the market relatively quickly and can thus be stored by the consumer at home for several more weeks in the refrigerator, where they will ripen.