The health benefits of kiwi are impressive. Kiwis are great for eye health, vitamin consumption, and even improved sleep quality. Plus, they contain much-needed fiber to aid digestion and bowel function.
In addition, kiwis are easy on the eye. The bright green color of the inside of this fruit adds vibrant appeal to any meal. You can even eat kiwi raw for a tasty snack.
Check out these seven amazing facts about kiwi and just why you should be eating them.
1. Kiwis are loaded with vitamin C.
According to Authority Nutrition, one kiwi can provide 77 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day. Kiwi is even higher in vitamin C than oranges, making it a nutritional gem.
Vitamin C plays an important role when it comes to health and wellness. However, we must consume foods rich in vitamin C regularly to reap its benefits. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, this is because Vitamin C is water-soluble. Consequently, the body can’t store it.
The body needs adequate vitamin C for many functions. First, it’s needed for tissue to both grow and repair itself. In addition, this necessary nutrient is key when it comes to collagen production. Experts say the body needs collagen to make skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and even blood vessels. Plus, this vitamin helps heal wounds and even keeps bones and teeth healthy. And because vitamin C is considered an antioxidant, it prevents damage due to free radicals.
So next time you reach for an orange to get your fill of vitamin C, consider kiwi. Or better yet, try both.
2. They’re good for asthma.
Researchers have found that kiwi is beneficial for those with respiratory issues. According to the George Mateljan Foundation, research published in Thorax found that eating kiwi may diminish wheezing, shortness of breath, and even coughing in those with respiratory issues.
In the 8,000 children studied, those who ate five to seven servings of kiwi and citrus fruit a week had more than 40 percent less wheezing than those who ate these items less than one time a week. Further, they demonstrated a more than 30 percent drop in shortness of breath. Runny noses even significantly decreased. Interestingly, those with asthma demonstrated the greatest benefits.
If you have a child with respiratory issues, give kiwi a try. Just make sure to continue your child’s regular medical routine as well.
3. They’re good for sleep.
Studies show that kiwi and improved sleep go hand in hand. One particular study found that kiwifruit improved both sleep time and sleep efficiency. The study involved 24 people between the ages of 20 and 55, most of whom were women.
Subjects ate two kiwis one hour before bed for four weeks. Sleep time increased by 13.4 percent, and sleep efficiency increased by 5.41 percent. Waking time after sleep onset and sleep onset latency decreased by 28.9 and 35.4 percent.
Next time insomnia strikes, reach for a kiwi. It just may help.
4. Kiwis help to protect against age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
According to the George Mateljan Foundation, fruit may be more beneficial than carrots when it comes to preserving eyesight. That’s a pretty amazing fact.
In one large study consisting of more than 110,000 subjects, researchers found that consuming three or more servings of fruit on a daily basis could decrease the risk of AMRD by 36 percent when compared to those who ate less than one and a half servings per day.
This is just another great reason to add kiwi to your shopping list. After all, preserving our precious eyesight is something for which we all strive.
5. They’re good for wound healing.
Could kiwi actually help to heal wounds? The answer is yes.
Studies show that kiwi may help to promote wound healing in animals. In one study, researchers assigned 60 rats with second-degree burns to three different groups. The rats in the control group were treated with Vaseline sterile gauze following saline irrigation. In a second group, burns were treated with silver sulfadiazine cream following irrigation. And in a third group, burns were treated with a dressing of kiwifruit. The rats associated with the kiwi group demonstrated complete healing 21 days later, and infection was less common in the kiwi group when compared to the other two groups. The size of the burn was smaller, too. This led researchers to suggest that kiwi could induce healing in burns and possibly even bedsores.
6. They’re good for heart health.
Looking for ways to improve heart health? You may want to consider adding kiwi to your diet.
According to Medical News Today, kiwis are rich in fiber and potassium, both of which are key components to heart health. One study found that higher levels of potassium reduced the risk of death related to heart disease. Subjects who consumed 4,069 mg of potassium daily had a nearly 50 percent decrease in risk. (The study compared those with this amount of potassium intake to subjects who consumed just 1,000 mg of potassium daily.)
7. Kiwis are natural laxatives.
Let’s face it -- constipation is no fun. However, kiwis can help.
According to Authority Nutrition, studies show that kiwifruit can have a laxative effect. In one study, researchers found that elderly individuals who ate kiwi once a day for three weeks went to the bathroom more often and had softer stools.
A study in those with chronic constipation concluded that two kiwis daily for two weeks could improve the symptoms associated with constipation. A third study even suggests that those with irritable bowel syndrome could benefit from kiwi consumption. Experts say that both the fiber and actinidin found in kiwi may play a part in these findings.