The kiwi is native to a large area in China in the forests of the Yangtze River Valley. It was introduced to New Zealand in 1904 and since then it has been cultivated in various regions of the world with a temperate climate.
Noteworthy: Its name was given to it in New Zealand because of its similarity to the New Zealand bird called the kiwi. Kiwi is a very nutritious food, rich in nutrients and low in calories, which makes it an essential fruit when it comes to losing weight in a healthy way.
Kiwi owes its reputation as a health food to its high vitamin C content. However, it is also rich in other nutrients that can help lower blood pressure, promote wound healing, and maintain intestinal health, among other benefits.
In this article we will look at the benefits of adding kiwis to your diet.
1. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C
When we think of vitamin C, two citrus fruits come to mind: orange and lemon. However, if you think that these citrus fruits are the best sources of vitamin C, you are wrong.
If we look at the nutritional values of kiwi, 100 grams contain 154% vitamin C, almost double that of lemons and oranges. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants help the body by eliminating free radicals that could cause inflammation or even cancer.
Note: Free radicals are molecules that are produced in our body from biological reactions that occur in cells. These molecules are very reactive and can cause health problems.
Any food with a high antioxidant content, such as kiwi, will help fight and keep free radicals under control. Additionally, both vitamin C and antioxidants help boost the body’s immunity against harmful pathogens.
2. Improves blood circulation
A recent study on traditional Chinese medicine published in World Scientific suggests that based on a statistical analysis of antihypertensive foods recommended in 20 books on the application of food therapy for the control of hypertension, the most recommended are celery, tomato, banana, garlic, and kiwi, among others (1) .
Kiwis contain a high percentage of fiber, potassium and antioxidants, which help improve cardiovascular health. The American Heart Association recommends increasing potassium intake and reducing sodium intake .
Potassium, present in kiwi and other foods such as bananas and avocados , helps relax blood vessels, which helps control blood pressure and therefore decreases the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.
To highlight: A normal size kiwi contains approximately 215 mg of potassium, which represents 5% of the daily requirement for an adult.
Kiwi’s fiber content may also benefit blood circulation and cardiovascular health. A study published in 2017 found that those who ate a lot of fiber had a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease since they tended to develop less bad cholesterol.
Note: One kiwi provides 2 grams of fiber, which is between 6 and 9% of the suggested daily requirement for an adult.
3. Reduces stress and nerves
As we have explained before, kiwi has a high content of vitamin C, which helps to significantly reduce stress levels.
To highlight: According to a study published in The Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, stress is caused by several hormones, mainly cortisol. As an adaptive response to stress, the body generates a change in the level of various hormones, including cortisol , catecholamines , and thyroid hormone (2) .
Vitamin C helps control the body’s stress response system. This is because the adrenal glands need vitamin C to make hormones that deal with stress. The more cortisol is produced, the more vitamin C is required, making vitamin C essential.
Note: During stress, vitamin C disappears from the bloodstream quickly. This means that if you are under stress, your glands need extra vitamin C.
When your adrenal glands can’t produce the extra hormones needed, your whole body can feel fatigued (adrenal fatigue). And because of this, it will be increasingly difficult to deal with stress.
4. It helps to lose weight and does not retain liquids
Like any low-calorie, fiber-rich food with a high water content, like most vegetables and fruits, kiwi is a great ally for those looking to lose those extra pounds.
Note: Each kiwi (69 grams) contains only 42 calories and 2 grams of fiber. Thanks to its fiber, kiwi is a food that keeps you full for a long time and does not provide many calories.
Kiwis are one of the best fruits if you are looking to lose weight. They are perfect for a snack. They contain insoluble and soluble fiber, both types of fiber support a healthy digestive system and help you avoid overeating.
To highlight: Insoluble fiber (present in the seeds) provides volume and stimulates the movement of stool. While soluble fiber is similar to a gel that reduces blood cholesterol levels.
The large amount of vitamin C in kiwis is the key to weight loss, as it plays an important role in fat metabolism, which is an important factor in fat burning .
Kiwis have a low glycemic index, meaning that the sugar they contain is released slowly. Thanks to this, kiwis help regulate blood sugar levels.
5. Helps digestion
A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, discovered that kiwi fruit has an extract containing actinidin (proteolytic enzyme) that greatly improves the digestion of most proteins, as it helps to break them down (3) .
Note: This allows protein to be digested well and may support those with irritable bowel syndrome.
6. Filters the sun’s rays
Regular consumption of kiwi can act as a natural sunscreen against the sun’s rays. This is because the kiwi has a high content of lutein, a pigment from the carotenoid family. Lutein stands out for its antioxidant properties that protect the body from the effects of free radicals and the sun’s rays.
In addition, kiwi provides a lot of vitamin E, which stimulates the production of collagen that protects the skin from sun damage, improving its appearance and thickness and reducing wrinkles.
7. Supports the immune system
Thanks to its high vitamin C content, kiwi is an excellent ally to strengthen the immune system. This is because vitamin C supports the production of interferons.
Note: Interferons are a group of signaling proteins produced by cells in response to the presence of pathogens in the body.
In turn, vitamin C improves the function of phagocytes, a type of white blood cell that surrounds pathogens.
To highlight: Vitamin C is found mainly in white blood cells. Some white blood cells have levels of vitamin C up to 80 times higher than those found in plasma.
Vitamin C supports the cellular immune response by enhancing the production of cytokines by white blood cells. Cytokines are proteins released by certain white blood cells that transmit information to other cells, thus promoting the immune response.
8. Fights anemia
The vitamin C present in kiwi is essential for the absorption of iron, so including kiwi in our diet can help significantly when it comes to fighting anemia.
Note: In the case of iron deficiency anemia, nutrition experts recommend accompanying foods rich in iron (such as lentils) or supplements with vitamin C.
9. Improves bones
Collagen is an important protein for bones. Vitamin C helps the body make collagen , which helps increase bone density. You can get it from many tasty, fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, including kiwi. fresh or frozen.
In addition, kiwi is very rich in magnesium , calcium and vitamins A and K. Magnesium is a necessary metal to keep bones strong and healthy, since they are made up of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and the fluoride.
10. Benefits for the skin
And as if all the benefits that we have mentioned above were not enough, kiwi is also a great ally if you want to show off young, healthy and glowing skin.
To highlight: Kiwi is a natural skin healer par excellence. Kiwi helps speed up the healing of cuts and abrasions on the skin, thanks to its high levels of vitamin C, which promotes wound healing.
As if that weren’t enough, kiwi helps to firmer skin as it delivers vital nutrients to the skin’s dermis, helping to restore skin firmness.
As we saw before, it helps minimize sun damage, thanks to vitamin C and its amino acids. Keeping the sun’s harmful rays under control prevents sun damage that can damage the skin and even lead to melanoma or skin cancer.
Just as it helps fight cell oxidation, kiwi is a great ally to rejuvenate the skin. The presence of several skin-friendly nutrients present in kiwi, such as vitamin C, E, and antioxidants, stimulate and rejuvenate skin health.
Note: Kiwi also has high amounts of vitamin E, which makes the skin look younger and restores elasticity that helps in the regeneration of skin cells. This delays the signs of aging like wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines.
In addition, it controls excess sebum production in oily skin, which causes unwanted pimples or acne. Kiwi also has anti-inflammatory properties, which help fight acne and clean pores to prevent skin breakouts.
Key takeaways
- Kiwi is a fruit native to China, from the forests of the Yangtze River Valley. It was introduced to New Zealand in 1904 and since then it has been cultivated in various regions of the world with a temperate climate. Its fame as a healthy food is due to its high content of vitamin C.
- When we think of vitamin C, two citrus fruits come to mind: orange and lemon. However, 100 grams of kiwi contains 154% vitamin C, almost double that of lemons and oranges.
- Kiwi contains a high percentage of fiber, potassium and antioxidants, which help improve cardiovascular health. Also due to its high vitamin C content, kiwi helps to significantly reduce stress levels.
- Thanks to its high content of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants, kiwi also helps to have good digestion, favors the immune system, improves bones, helps fight anemia, filters the sun’s rays, so it also brings benefits for the skin, as it prevents sun damage that can damage the skin and even cause melanoma or skin cancer.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.