Kiwi fruit has a refreshing blend of sweet and sour tastes. Kiwi is a fruit with abundant nutritional content. What are the nutritional content and benefits of kiwi fruit?
Kiwi fruit’s nutritional content
Kiwi is a fruit with brown skin and it turns out that it comes from the plains of China. Even so, kiwi is often a fruit typical of New Zealand.
This fruit with greenish flesh is rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fat which can optimize the function of various organs of the body.
Not only that, the content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants also complement the nutrients in kiwi fruit.
From the nutritional information found on the US Department of Agriculture’s website, 100 grams (g) of kiwi fruit has the following nutritional content:
1. Energy: 61 calories (Cal)
2. Protein: 1,14 g
3. Fiber : 3 g
4. Sucrose: 0.15 g
5. Glucose: 4.11 g
6. Fructose: 4.35 g
7. Vitamin C: 92.7 milligrams (mg)
8. Potassium: 312 mg
9. Vitamin K: 40,3 mg
10. Kalsium: 34 mg
11. Vitamin E: 1,46 mg
12. Magnesium: 17 mg
The skin may appear unfit to eat so people more often eat kiwi fruit by peeling the skin first.
In fact, kiwi fruit skin also contains nutrients that are no less abundant than the fruit flesh, you know!
Health benefits of kiwi fruit
The high nutritional content makes kiwi fruit have a variety of benefits for the health of the body.
Here are the various benefits that you can get by consuming kiwi fruit.
1. Improve the immune system
Kiwi fruit contains very high vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C content in 1 glass of kiwi fruit can even meet the daily vitamin C needs.
Vitamin C is a nutrient that plays an important role in strengthening the immune system, especially in fighting infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.
In a study published by Canadian Science Publishing, the consumption of kiwi fruit can reduce the duration of cold-like illnesses in both children and adults.
2. Coping with asthma
The content of vitamin C in kiwi fruit also provides other benefits for the function of the respiratory system.
Consumption of fruits that are high in vitamin C can help reduce shortness of breath, aka wheezing in children with asthma.
This was explained in a Thorax journal study involving 4100 children as participants.
Without further analysis of the effect of the consumption of other foods, it is known that there is a decrease in the frequency of asthma symptoms as long as children consume 1-7 fruits with high vitamin C in 1 week.
3. Maintain blood pressure
Kiwi fruit has high potassium and low sodium content so it has a good effect on blood flow.
Research from Blood Press in 2015 stated that the consumption of 3 kiwis can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
Therefore, consuming kiwi fruit regularly every day while reducing your intake of foods high in salt has benefits for maintaining the health of your cardiovascular system.
4. Reducing the risk of blood clots
The same research also mentions the ability of kiwi fruit to reduce blood fat levels can help reduce the risk of blood clots.
That is, kiwi fruit can help prevent strokes, heart attacks, and other blood vessel blockages.
The benefits of kiwi fruit are estimated to be equivalent to taking aspirin every day to optimize the work of the heart.
5. Launching digestion
Kiwi fruit is a source of prebiotics so it can increase the number of good bacteria to help digest food.
The benefits of kiwi fruit come from the content of actinidin enzymes, fiber and phenolic components.
For this reason, consuming kiwi fruit can prevent various digestive disorders such as constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.
In fact, the actinidin enzyme found in kiwi is very good for accelerating protein digestion.
6. Healthy skin
In kiwi fruit, the high content of vitamin C can also increase the production of collagen, which is a component of skin cells.
Collagen can increase skin elasticity, keep skin hydrated, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.
In addition, kiwi also contains vitamin E in the form of tocopherols.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant component that can protect skin cells from harmful substances, free radicals and sunlight.
7. Reducing the risk of birth defects in babies
Kiwi fruit contains folate, which is a nutrient that plays an important role in the development of the fetus.
One kiwi fruit contains 17.2 micrograms (mcg) which has exceeded the daily requirement of folate for adults.
Folate can help the process of dividing and forming cells in the fetus so that it can prevent birth defects.
This makes kiwi fruit useful for pregnant women. Pregnant women can fulfill their daily intake of folate by consuming kiwi fruit.
8. Prevent cancer
The antioxidant content in kiwi fruit acts as a natural protector for the health of cells in the body, one of which is from oxidative stress conditions that can damage healthy cells.
Consumption of kiwi fruit has the potential to provide benefits to reduce the risk of cell oxidative events.
Well, these antioxidants are contained more in the skin than the flesh of the kiwi fruit.
To be safe eating kiwi fruit skin, you need to get rid of fine hairs attached to the skin.
9. Accelerate wound healing
This benefit comes from the main micronutrient content in kiwi fruit, namely vitamin C and vitamin K.
These two vitamins have a vital role in the wound-healing process.
Vitamin C helps the production of collagen, which is a component of skin cells. This vitamin also acts as an antioxidant that can repair cell damage.
Vitamin K can prevent excessive bleeding and speed up the blood clotting process. This vitamin in kiwi fruit is also efficacious to maintain the body’s cell resistance.
10. Improve sleep quality
Eating kiwi fruit has the potential to overcome sleep disturbances in adults. This property is thought to come from antioxidants and serotonin contained in kiwi fruit.
Research from Taipei Medical University conducted a study on adults aged 20-55 years who had problems with irregular sleep patterns.
For 4 weeks the participants were required to eat 2 kiwis an hour before they went to bed.
At the end of the study, kiwi consumption was known to make it easier for participants to fall asleep and increase sleep duration.
11. Prevent Blindness
In addition to the nutritional composition already mentioned, kiwi fruit has other ingredients that are beneficial for maintaining eye health.
The content of zeaxanthin in kiwi fruit can reduce the risk of macular degeneration and impaired retinal function which can cause blindness.
However, to get the benefits of this kiwi fruit, you need to consume it together with other fruits and vegetables that are rich in carotenoid-type antioxidants.
Kiwifruit consumption warning
1. You should not consume kiwi fruit excessively and still adjust your daily nutritional needs.
2. Also be aware of the possibility of fruit allergies caused by kiwi fruit skin. If you or someone close to you shows signs of a kiwi fruit allergy, try to avoid eating the skin and consult a doctor immediately.