In Season this month is the wonderful Kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi and also known as Chinese gooseberry.
This wonderful egg-shaped fruit has a wonderful soft texture (when ripe) with a sweet and unique flavour.
Why is it good for you?
Its most notable nutritional benefit is its vitamin C content which supplies 83% of your recommended daily requirements per 100-gram serving. Vitamin C acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body, helping to protect cells against oxidative damage. It is also needed by the body to make collagen, so you can see, it’s a valuable nutrient in the battle to fight the signs of premature aging. Important for the immune system as well as being needed to make neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers which moderate our mood and sense of well-being.
It also boasts:
- Fibre: 3 grams
- Vitamin E: 9% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 34% of the DV
- Folate: 7% of the DV
- Copper: 15% of the DV
- Potassium: 4% of the DV
- Magnesium: 4% of the DV
But did you know?
Despite common misconception the fuzzy, fibrous and light brown skin may be tart but is also very edible.
The fruit became popular with British servicemen stationed in New Zealand during World War II. Kiwi is the name of a flightless bird native to New Zealand as well as the nickname for New Zealanders.
Kiwifruits are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. This can help regulate blood sugar and support healthy gut bacteria.
The fibre in kiwis can bind to water and help to improve stool consistency, decreasing the time it takes for food to transit through your digestive system – goodbye constipation!
In fact, one study found that the consumption of 2 kiwifruits per day for 4 weeks, shortened the colon transit time (how long it takes you to poo), increased defecation frequency (how frequently you poo), and improved bowel function (that’s good too) in adults diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome-C (with Constipation).
And that’s not all…Evidence shows that because it contains the proteolytic enzyme ‘actinidin’, kiwifruit acts as a digestive aid by enhancing the breakdown of protein foods.
Time to grab your Kiwis folks!
And when you have…click this link to discover wonderful kiwifruit salsa recipe:
https://app.thatcleanlife.com/shares/145afbb7-81a0-42e8-b292-a44ae4f268cb
