KIWI

My first blog for this year.Well, I want to wish everyone Happy New Year and I hope this year will be good for all.To be honest, lately, I’ve eaten a lot of food because of festive season so now I need to come back to my healthy lifestyle routine.In this blog post, I’ll like to talk about this wonderful fruit called kiwi.Its one of my favorite and now in this season you can find very easily.But some might ask;

What Is Kiwi?

 

Kiwifruit is a delicious berry of a woody, twining vine and is popularly known by its shortened version as ‘kiwi’. It is native to China and is referred to as the country’s national fruit. Originally known as ‘Yang Tao’, kiwi is an oval-shaped, dull brown colored fruit with a fuzzy texture. The inside pulp is a vivid, semi-translucent, bright green flesh with a radiant pattern of lighter-colored spikes, freckled with a few tiny, edible black seeds. Kiwifruit has a unique and invigorating flavor with a soft and creamy texture. The Actinidia genus which includes kiwi comprises about 60 species. Globally, the most commonly consumed varieties are the ‘fuzzy’ and ‘golden’.

Nutritional Value Of Kiwi Fruit

The small kiwi fruit stores a treasure of nutritional surprises. It is an excellent source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Other vitamins including vitamin A, folate, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), and vitamin K (phylloquinone) are also present in good amounts. The mineral wealth of kiwi includes a tremendous quantity of potassium along with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. All these vital nutrients in the fruit come with an added bonus of dietary fiber.

Health Benefits Of Kiwi

Improves Heart Health

As mentioned, kiwifruit is rich in protective polyphenols along with vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium which are effective in the maintenance of cardiovascular health. An investigative study has revealed that this fruit exerts inhibitory activities which aid in the reduction of triglycerides in the blood. According to the study, consumption of a couple of kiwis on a daily basis helps in reducing the platelet aggression response or the risk of blood clotting. This fibrinolytic effect of the fruit on your blood vessels prevents the risk of thromboembolic and cardiac disorders like atherosclerosis.

Induces Better Sleep

It is a source of serotonin which helps to promote better sleep. An investigative study conducted in this regard has shown that consumption of kiwi helps in improving the sleep quality. It may also help in improving the sleep onset and reducing waking time after the onset, hence providing relief from any sleep disturbances. This fruit contains flavonoids such as naringenin, quercetin, rutin, catechin, epicatechin, which modulate the sleep-inducing receptors and are considered an effectual plant-based sedative agent. Attributing to this, the peel of kiwi is a potent ingredient for the development of natural sleeping aids.

Skin Care

Kiwifruit helps to maintain healthy and smooth skin attributing to its significant contribution in the process of collagen synthesis. It contains vitamin C, which helps to keep the skin firm and expedite healing of cuts and abrasions. Vitamin E in kiwi assists in reducing the fine lines and appearance of wrinkles. It also helps in reducing the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin, while the antioxidants present in this fruit work as a perfect anti-aging agent and prevent the skin from early degeneration, and keep it rejuvenated.  

Prevents Cancer

Kiwifruit has been traditionally trusted in the Chinese folk medicine for its effectiveness in healing various types of cancers such as liver cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and lung cancer. Extracts of the kiwifruit inhibit the proliferation of cancerous cells and protect endogenous DNA damage. The fruit works against cancer by being cytotoxic to malignant cancer cells without affecting the normal, healthy cells. The plethora of antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins along with fiber contributes beneficially to the effectiveness of kiwi in the prevention or healing of cancers. Catechin, a phytochemical present in kiwi helps in reducing the toxicity of anti-cancer agents by stimulating the bone marrow proliferation.

I decided to recommend this easy salad and it is very healthy

WINTER FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients

• 3 cups of cubed pineapple
• 1 cup of peeled, quartered and sliced kiwis
• 2 cups of mandarin orange or clementine segments
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• Optional garnish: fresh mint leaves
  

  Instructions

  1. Place the pineapple, kiwi, mandarin oranges and pomegranate arils in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, honey and poppy seeds.
  3. Pour the poppy seed dressing over the fruit and toss gently to coat.

  4. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.