The Fuzzy, Green Fruit with More Vitamin C

Are tired of getting vitamin C by eating citrus fruits? You’re in luck. There’s a tropical fruit that has more vitamin C than oranges and is every bit as tasty. Yes, the kiwi fruit beats out the almighty orange as a source of vitamin C. One kiwi has 76 grams of this antioxidant rich vitamin – enough to meet the recommended daily requirement for men and women who don’t smoke.

Eating kiwi is a great alternative to citrus for vitamin C, but does this fruit have other health benefits? The kiwi fruit is a powerhouse of nutrition. It ranks high in the antioxidant department not only because it’s rich in vitamin C, but it’s also a good source of another antioxidant vitamin – vitamin E. In addition, it contains flavonoids and carotenoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Eating kiwi improves the health of one of the body’s hardest working muscles – the heart. A 2004 study showed that eating two to three kiwi fruits a day for twenty-eight days, reduced the “stickiness” of platelets so they were less likely to clump together and form a dangerous blood clot – which could trigger a heart attack or stroke. Not only that, but eating kiwi reduces levels of triglycerides in the blood which helps to lower the risk of heart disease.

The kiwi fruit is a good source of the minerals potassium and magnesium which, among other things, help to normalize blood pressure. One ongoing study is looking at the effects eating kiwi has on blood pressure – and whether this tasty fruit can lower it naturally. Eating a kiwi fruit sure beats taking a blood pressure pill!

Don’t forget that the kiwi fruit is also a good source of fiber – which few Americans get enough of. One kiwi fruit has ten percent of the day’s requirement and it’s low in calories and tastes great going down. What’s not to love about it?

Even though it sounds exotic, this little green fruit with the fuzzy peel can be found at most grocery stores. One caution. Some people are allergic to kiwi and still others develop a reaction to the calcium oxalate they contain. People who have a history of kidney stones should avoid them.

Next time you’re looking for a fruit with more vitamin C than an orange, give the kiwi fruit a try. It’s a good change of pace – and change of taste.

References:

Pub Med website. “Effects of Kiwi Fruit Consumption on Platelet Aggregation and Plasma Lipids in Healthy Human Volunteers”.