KIWI Fruit: Health and Medicinal Benifits
Kiwifruit is a little fruit holding great
surprises. The most common species of kiwifruit are Actinidia deliciosa, commonly
known as Hayward kiwi or Chinese Gooseberry and Actinidia Chinensis. Kiwifruit can offer a great deal more than an exotic
tropical flair in your fruit salad. These emerald delights contain numerous
phytonutrients as well as well-known vitamins and minerals that promote your
health.
Kiwi contains a variety of flavonoids and
carotenoids that have demonstrated antioxidant activity and these
phytonutrients in kiwi may be responsible for this DNA protection. The unique
combination of antioxidants in Kiwi fruit helps protect the cell DNA from
oxidative damage.
Kiwifruit emerged from our food ranking
system as an excellent source of vitamin C. This nutrient is the primary
water-soluble antioxidant in the body, neutralizing free radicals that can
cause damage to cells and lead to problems such as inflammation and cancer. In
fact, adequate intake of vitamin C has been shown to be helpful in reducing the
severity of conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma,
and for preventing conditions such as colon cancer, atherosclerosis, and
diabetic heart disease. Kiwi’s high vitamin C content along with other
antioxidant compounds has been proven to boost the immune system.
Kiwi’s low glycemic index and high fiber
content means it will not create a strong insulin rush like other fruit with
high sugar contents — so the body will not respond by storing fat. It also is
safe for diabetics. Inositol, a sugar alcohol naturally occurring in kiwifruit,
may play a positive role in regulating diabetes.
Kiwifruit as a very good source of dietary
fiber. The fiber in kiwifruit has also been shown to be useful for a number of
conditions. Fiber can reduce high cholesterol levels, which may reduce the risk
of heart disease and heart attack. Fiber is also good for binding and removing
toxins from the colon, which is helpful for preventing colon cancer. Kiwifruit
has been shown to contain an antimutagenic component, helping to prevent the
mutations of genes that may initiate the cancer process. The presence of
glutathione may account for the reduction.
Eating
vitamin C-rich fruit such as kiwi may confer a significant protective effect
against respiratory symptoms associated with asthma such as wheezing.
Eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day
may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary
cause of vision loss in older adults.
Raw kiwi contains actinidain, a
protein-dissolving enzyme that can help digest a meal much like the papain in
papaya or bromelain in pineapple.
Kiwis are a great source of fiber. This
prevents constipation and other intestinal problems. The fuzzy fiber of Kiwi
helps bind and move toxins from your intestinal tract.
Kiwi fruit has the anti-clotting benefits
with no side effects. The amino acid arginine, present in kiwifruit, is being
looked at by cardiologists to improve postangioplasty blood flow and actually
prevent the formation (or reformation) of plaque in the arteries. Kiwifruit
contains pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol. Kiwi’s high level
of potassium helps keep our electrolytes in balance by counteracting the
effects of sodium.
A few of the benefits of a properly
acid/alkaline balanced body are: youthful skin, deeper sleep, abundant physical
energy, fewer colds, less arthritis, and reduced osteoporosis.
Kiwis
are a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant known to protect skin from
degeneration. Lutein, an important phytochemical found in kiwifruit, has been
linked to the prevention of prostate and lung cancer.
Inositol is found in kiwifruit. It
functions as a precursor of an intracellular second messenger system so it can
be beneficial in the treatment of depression. Kiwifruit contains a relatively
high level of serotonin. Serotonin causes a calming effect in most individuals.
Kiwifruit contains the amino acid
arginine, a well-known vasodilator that has been used to treat impotence in
men.
Kiwifruit
|
||||
Carbohydrate Factor: 3.6 Fat Factor:
8.37 Protein Factor: 3.36 Nitrogen to Protein Conversion Factor: 6.25
|
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Refuse: 24% Refuse Description: Skin
|
Gold
(Actinidia chinensis)
|
Chinese
gooseberry, Green (Actinidia deliciosa)
|
||
Varity
|
||||
Nutrient
|
Unit
|
1Value
per100g
|
1Value
per100g
|
|
Water
|
g
|
83.07
|
83.22
|
|
Energy
|
kcal
|
61
|
60
|
|
Protein
|
g
|
1.14
|
1.23
|
|
Total lipid (fat)
|
g
|
0.52
|
0.56
|
|
Ash
|
g
|
0.61
|
0.76
|
|
Carbohydrate, by difference
|
g
|
14.66
|
14.23
|
|
Fiber, total dietary
|
g
|
3
|
2
|
|
Sugars, total
|
g
|
8.99
|
10.98
|
|
Sucrose
|
g
|
0.15
|
0.05
|
|
Glucose
(dextrose)
|
g
|
4.11
|
5.2
|
|
Fructose
|
g
|
4.35
|
5.68
|
|
Lactose
|
g
|
0
|
0
|
|
Maltose
|
g
|
0.19
|
0.05
|
|
Galactose
|
g
|
0.17
|
0
|
|
Starch
|
g
|
0
|
0.18
|
|
Minerals
|
||||
Calcium,
Ca
|
mg
|
34
|
20
|
|
Iron,
Fe
|
mg
|
0.31
|
0.29
|
|
Magnesium,
Mg
|
mg
|
17
|
14
|
|
Phosphorus,
P
|
mg
|
34
|
29
|
|
Potassium,
K
|
mg
|
312
|
316
|
|
Sodium,
Na
|
mg
|
3
|
3
|
|
Zinc,
Zn
|
mg
|
0.14
|
0.1
|
|
Copper,
Cu
|
mg
|
0.13
|
0.147
|
|
Manganese,
Mn
|
mg
|
0.098
|
0.058
|
|
Selenium,
Se
|
µg
|
0.2
|
3.1
|
|
Vitamins
|
||||
Vitamin
C, total ascorbic acid
|
mg
|
92.7
|
105.4
|
|
Thiamin
|
mg
|
0.027
|
0.024
|
|
Riboflavin
|
mg
|
0.025
|
0.046
|
|
Niacin
|
mg
|
0.341
|
0.28
|
|
Pantothenic
acid
|
mg
|
0.183
|
0.5
|
|
Vitamin
B-6
|
mg
|
0.063
|
0.057
|
|
Folate,
total
|
µg
|
25
|
34
|
|
Folic
acid
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Folate,
food
|
µg
|
25
|
34
|
|
Folate,
DFE
|
µg
|
25
|
0
|
|
Choline,
total
|
mg
|
7.8
|
5
|
|
Betaine
|
mg
|
0.5
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
B-12
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
B-12, added
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
A, RAE
|
µg
|
4
|
4
|
|
Retinol
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Carotene,
beta
|
µg
|
52
|
43
|
|
Carotene,
alpha
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Cryptoxanthin,
beta
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
A, IU
|
IU
|
87
|
72
|
|
Lycopene
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Lutein
+ zeaxanthin
|
µg
|
122
|
114
|
|
Vitamin
E (alpha-tocopherol)
|
mg
|
1.46
|
1.49
|
|
Vitamin
E, added
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Tocopherol,
beta
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Tocopherol,
gamma
|
mg
|
0.03
|
0.01
|
|
Tocopherol,
delta
|
mg
|
0
|
0.01
|
|
Vitamin
D (D2 + D3)
|
µg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
D
|
IU
|
0
|
0
|
|
Vitamin
K (phylloquinone)
|
µg
|
40.3
|
5.5
|
|
Lipids
|
||||
Fatty
acids, total saturated
|
g
|
0.029
|
0.149
|
|
Fatty
acids, total monounsaturated
|
g
|
0.047
|
0.036
|
|
Fatty
acids, total polyunsaturated
|
g
|
0.287
|
0.207
|
|
Cholesterol
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Amino Acids
|
||||
Tryptophan
|
g
|
0.015
|
0.044
|
|
Threonine
|
g
|
0.047
|
0.042
|
|
Isoleucine
|
g
|
0.051
|
0.037
|
|
Leucine
|
g
|
0.066
|
0.056
|
|
Lysine
|
g
|
0.061
|
0.06
|
|
Methionine
|
g
|
0.024
|
0.016
|
|
Cystine
|
g
|
0.031
|
0.025
|
|
Phenylalanine
|
g
|
0.044
|
0.03
|
|
Tyrosine
|
g
|
0.034
|
0.023
|
|
Valine
|
g
|
0.057
|
0.046
|
|
Arginine
|
g
|
0.081
|
0.109
|
|
Histidine
|
g
|
0.027
|
0.02
|
|
Alanine
|
g
|
0.053
|
0.04
|
|
Aspartic
acid
|
g
|
0.126
|
0.119
|
|
Glutamic
acid
|
g
|
0.184
|
0.129
|
|
Glycine
|
g
|
0.06
|
0.046
|
|
Proline
|
g
|
0.044
|
0.028
|
|
Serine
|
g
|
0.053
|
0.04
|
|
Alcohol, ethyl
|
g
|
0
|
0
|
|
Caffeine
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Theobromine
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Flavonoids
|
||||
Anthocyanidins
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Flavan-3-ols
|
mg
|
0.4
|
0.6
|
|
Flavanones
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Flavones
|
mg
|
0.7
|
0
|
|
Flavonols
|
mg
|
1
|
0
|
|
Isoflavones
|
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Proanthocyanidin
|
mg
|
3.1
|
0
|
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