Kiwis are the national pride of New Zealand where they are native. They actually only contain one type of vitamin and one mineral and are still super healthy. A kiwi creeper grows in the Netherlands because, contrary to what many people think, New Zealand is quite cold; the warmest days are colder than the warmest days in Holland. However, New Zealand does not have a winter like in the Netherlands. The temperature is more stable throughout the year. New Zealand does not have a tropical climate. The weather is a bit like that of the Netherlands in autumn, but in New Zealand it rains even more often. It is not a nice holiday destination. Fortunately, the best from New Zealand can be purchased in the Netherlands. Kiwis nowadays mainly come from Italy. This is better for the environment in view of the fuel-consuming flight that Kiwis have to make when they come from New Zealand. Although the kiwi plant grows in the Netherlands, it does not produce many fruits here. NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• Vitamins in kiwis
• The two nutrients in kiwi
• Good against respiratory diseases
• Good against all kinds of diseases
• Good for diabetic patients
• Good against asthma
• Good for your eyes
• Kiwi as a blood thinner
• Kiwi eating tips

Vitamins in kiwis

Almost everyone knows that kiwi contains a lot of vitamin C. Kiwi is of course a lot smaller. This means that in practice there is more vitamin C in a whole orange fruit than in a kiwi fruit. Kiwi, on the other hand, contains relatively more vitamin C when it comes to the weight/vitamin C ratio. In that respect, there are some fruits that contain even more vitamin C. The fruit with the most vitamin C is papaya, followed by strawberries and pineapple. Kiwi ranks fourth when it comes to vitamin C-containing fruits. The vegetables peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts also have more vitamin C per unit weight than in New Zealand’s pride.The name kiwi originated in New Zealand. Before that it was called Chinese gooseberry. The kiwis for sale in the supermarket or at the greengrocer largely come from New Zealand, but the fruit originally comes from China. 

The two nutrients in kiwi

If we want to make an overview of the vitamins and minerals that are found in good quantities in kiwi, we can do it quickly. The brown-haired fruit contains vitamin C and potassium. Almost all other fruits and vegetables contain more different vitamins and minerals. The lack of nutrients in the kiwi is heavily underexposed and the fact that the slimy flesh contains a lot of vitamin C is overexposed. It seems that outside of commercial gain, there is little point in having the kiwi flown in from the other side of the world.

Good against respiratory diseases

Yet despite its lack of government-recommended nutrients, the kiwi is very healthy. It contains many special phytonutrients. These are increasingly being investigated. The scientific field of phytonutrients is largely intact. However, scientists have become quite enthusiastic about the protective effects of substances in the kiwi for the nucleus or cell nucleus for the cells of the human body. Substances in kiwi protect our DNA. It is suspected that flavonoids and carotenoids, which fall under phytonutrients, are responsible for this protection of cell nuclei. An Italian study has clearly shown that 7 and 8-year-old children are less susceptible to respiratory diseases if they eat a lot of kiwi. Diseases such as colds, respiratory distress and coughing are also reduced when kiwi is on the menu every day.Supported kiwi creeper in France / Source: Jwaldo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Good against all kinds of diseases

The high vitamin C content does have therapeutic effects. When eaten regularly, kiwi offers protection against osteoarthritis, rheumatism, asthma, ear infections, arteriosclerosis and colon cancer. The disease-preventing effect is especially effective against heart disease in diabetes patients. Non-diabetics benefit from eating kiwi because the kiwi has a preventive effect against heart attacks and cancer. It is becoming increasingly clear to scientists that eating vitamin C from fruits, accompanied by all kinds of effect-enhancing phytonutrients, is much healthier than eating vitamin C from pills.

Good for diabetic patients

The fibers in the small brown-skinned fruit with the soft, green contents are downright healthy, especially for diabetes patients. Foods containing fiber ensure that food is digested more gradually, reducing peaks and valleys in blood sugar levels. In addition, fruit fibers help against colon cancer.The kiwi creeper / Source: Jwaldo, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Good against asthma

The kiwi is an excellent natural remedy for asthma. An Italian study of 18,000 children found that wheezing was 44% less common in a group that ate just one kiwi per week! Chronic cough, nighttime coughing, severe wheezing and sniffles decreased as more kiwis were eaten.

Good for your eyes

Kiwi does not contain significant vitamin A, but it is still good for your eyes. Cataracts are prevented by eating kiwis. An 18-year study among 110,000 people showed that eating 3 pieces of fruit per day is very effective against cataracts, some forms of which can lead to blindness. So it’s worth eating more fruit than health experts recommend, and kiwi can help you with that. In the Netherlands it is recommended to eat only 2 pieces of fruit per day.

Kiwi as a blood thinner

Kiwi is a natural blood thinner, just like aspirin. But it is healthier than aspirin because this chemical does have nasty side effects. Aspirin leads to inflammation in intestinal cells. This causes other foods to be digested less well. Vitamin C, potassium and the polyphenols in kiwi all work well for the blood and heart.

Kiwi eating tips

It is best to eat a kiwi in between. The kiwi is both thirst-quenching and hunger-relieving. It is a handy snack if you cut it in half and scoop out both halves with a spoon. You can peel it, but most of the vitamins are under the peel and you then peel them away. The kiwi is delicious in fruit salads and fruit smoothies. You can use the kiwi to put in a homemade muesli. It becomes slightly sweeter, so less sugar or honey is needed.