SUPERFOODS = CLICK BAIT 🥝⁣

Health trends like ‘Superfood Status’ often bundle up things like coconut oil, kale, avocado, acai berries, the list goes on. Sadly this is for the most part meaningless overhype bit like ‘cleanse’ or ‘detox’. But with that all being said, how come we’ve had no mention of the Kiwi?

⁣⁣The kiwi contains twice the amount of Vitamin C compared to oranges while destroying the orange, apple, banana, strawberry, and blueberry when it comes to total fibre, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K while falling just shy to the orange for Beta Carotene, and surpassing all other than the banana in regards to Potassium.⁣⁣Indigenous to China and introduced to orchards in the early 1900’s, nearly 50 years would pass before the first commercial exports of Kiwi fruit were made from New Zealand, starting with just 2000 Chinese gooseberries in 1952 but the name didn’t last, after being deemed ‘unmarketable’ and was given a new identity with its fury brown skin somewhat resembling the iconic Kiwi bird from NZ.⁣⁣Modern nutritional science reveals a multitude of positive health effects associated with Kiwi consumption, something that ancient Chinese medicine predicted having used Kiwi as a digestive aid and for irritability reduction.⁣⁣

Advances in food and nutrition research site clinical studies in a range of adult populations consistently indicating that Kiwis promote laxation, making them an effective dietary intervention for constipation. This is likely attributed to their high levels of fibre and a proteas called Actinidin which helps digest proteins and improve gastric emptying.⁣⁣Associations have been made between regular consumption and mood improvement, improved immunity and iron status, while another study stated eating two kiwis before bed for 4 weeks resulted in improved sleep onset, sleep duration, and sleep quality. ⁣

Disclaimer: Roughly 1-2% of population are allergic to kiwi so beware of the early symptoms and avoid the fruit if you fall in this category.⁣