With their uniquely hairy exterior and bright green interior, kiwis - or Chinese gooseberries - are a fantastic addition to winter plates. Keep reading to learn more about this sweet, slightly acidic, tangy fruit.

Part of your 5-a-day

Kiwis are berries! Only 2 kiwis are considered 1 portion of fruit for your 5-a-day. The whole fruit is edible, even its fuzzy skin.

Vitamin C - skin health, immunity & plant-based iron absorption

Kiwis are particularly rich in vitamin C. Just 2 kiwis provide more than our daily requirements of vitamin C. It is crucial we get vitamin C daily from our diet as it is an antioxidant that we cannot store in the body.

Vitamin C has different functions in the body including maintaining healthy skin, teeth, gums & bones as it is needed to make and maintain collagen - a protein that forms & keeps the structure of many tissues. It also protects our cells against oxidative damage caused by free radicals, which can affect our health & accelerate ageing.

We need vitamin C to support the healthy functioning of our immune system - helping fight against infection - and when we have a cold it can help reduce our symptoms as recover faster.

On top of these, vitamin C is an important part of a plant-based diet. It helps increase the absorption of plant-based iron. So add some kiwi with a source of plant-based iron (e.g. pulses, nuts & dark leafy greens) as it will help increase iron absorption. 

Dietary Fibre - gut health & digestion

Kiwis are a source of dietary fibre. A portion - 2 kiwis - provides more than 4g grams of dietary fibre, making a valuable contribution to our fibre intake.

Dietary fibre has been shown to feed the good bacteria in our gut, which in turn promotes good gut health. It also bulks up and softens our stool decreasing constipation and reducing the risk of certain diseases -  such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancers.

Find out more on my previous blog post: Dietary Fibre.

Vitamin K - coagulation & bone health

Kiwis are a good source of vitamin K, a group of vitamins - vitamins K1, K2 and K3. Vitamin K1 is the most abundant form and is mostly found in plant foods. We need these vitamins for blood clotting and wound healing. Vitamin K also helps form and maintain the structure of our bones by improving calcium absorption.

Vitamin E - skin health & immunity

Kiwis are a source of vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin which is often used in skincare products for its cell-protecting and anti-ageing properties.

Vitamin E is an important bodyguard for all of our cells as it protects them against damage caused by free radicals by neutralising them. It also supports our immune system to fight against infections and illnesses, helps our nervous system function well, and keeps our blood cells healthy by preventing clots from forming.

Folic acid - growth & pregnancy

Kiwis are a good source of folic acid, an essential B vitamin - vitamin B9. 

Folic acid is crucial during periods of rapid growth and development - such as pregnancy & infancy - as it is needed for cell growth and multiplication. Adequate folic acid intake is essential for those planning a pregnancy and during pregnancy as it is a key player in the healthy development of babies, supporting skull, brain and spinal cord development and protecting against birth defects - particularly neural tube defects.

Folic acid also plays a role in producing and keeping healthy red blood cells and blood vessels, and supporting our immune system.

The take-home:

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References

1. NHS. Rough guide - Fruit & vegetable portion sizes. Livewell. 2021 https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/5aday/documents/downloads/5aday_portion_guide.pdf 

2. McCance & Widdowson. The Composition of Foods integrated dataset 2021. 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid 

3. British Nutrition Foundation. Vitamins and Minerals in our Food. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from  https://www.nutrition.org.uk/media/5xeeolog/vitamins-and-minerals-in-our-food-pdf.pdf 

4. NHS. Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamin C. NHS Sources. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/ 

5. Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017 Nov 3;9(11):1211. doi: 10.3390/nu9111211. PMID: 29099763; PMCID: PMC5707683.

6. Carr, Anitra; Maggini, Silvia (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9(11), 1211–. doi:10.3390/nu9111211 

7. NHS. Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamin K. NHS Sources. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-k/ 

8. NHS. Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamin E. NHS Sources. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/ 

9. NHS. Vitamins and Minerals - B Vitamins and folic acid. NHS Sources. Retrieved December 26, 2022, from  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/