How Kiwis Help Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

Nutrient Content

Vitamins

Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended):  

  • Vitamin C – 273%
  • Vitamin K – 89%

Good Source of (Daily Recommended): 

  • Vitamin E – 13%
  • Folate – 11%

Also a Source of:

  • Vitamin B6 – 6%

Minerals

Good Source of (Daily Recommended): 

  • Potassium – 16%
  • Copper – 12%

Also a Source of:

  • Manganese – 9%
  • Magnesium – 8%
  • Phosphorus – 6%

Other

Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended): 

  • Fiber – 21%

Also a Source of:

  • Antioxidants – Carotenoids, Lutein, Zeaxanthin
  • Omega 3 Fatty Acids
  • Omega 6s

*All nutritional information found at (1)

How Kiwis Prevent Chronic Disease

Kiwis, like most fruit, prevent several chronic diseases that plague America today. Most notably, kiwis help to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

How Kiwis Help Prevent Cancer

Fruit Consumption helps to prevent cancer. Kiwis are loaded with anti-cancer nutrients that have promising capacity to combat cancer development.

  • Kiwis help prevent cancer development and progression by preventing oxidative stress. Kiwis also kill off cancer cells through the activity of nutrients and phytochemicals. (3)
    • Kiwis are a good source of vitamin E. Vitamin E intake has been shown to reduce risk of lung cancer. (4)
    • Kiwis were shown to have higher antioxidant capacity than apples, grapefruits, and pears. (4) Antioxidants prevent damage from oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals, which are implicated in cancer development.
    • Kiwellin is a protein found in kiwis that is converted to kissper. Kissper protects our digestive tract from inflammation and oxidative stress. (4)
  • Kiwis protect against a number of conditions but are most beneficial for digestive health. Kiwis protect against digestive malignancies such as colorectal cancer. (4)

How Kiwis Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

  • Blood Pressure: Kiwis are an excellent source of potassium, and potassium helps combat the effects of salt intake on blood pressure. (5) One study showed that kiwi was more effective at lowering blood pressure than apples. (6)
    • Kiwis have shown ACE inhibitor activity. This activity indicates kiwis’ ability to naturally combat blood pressure, in addition to their potassium content. (6)
  • The standard western diet is composed of many inflammatories that cause DNA damage leading to lipid oxidation. Kiwis have been shown to protect against this damage. (7) Lipid oxidation causes fats to clump together and block blood flow, which can ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke.
  • Kiwi consumption is also associated with reduced platelet aggregation. Platelet aggregation is another risk factor of heart attack and stroke. (8)
  • Kiwis have also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels, which further aid in the prevention of heart attack and stroke. (9)
  • Finally, kiwis are a good source of copper. Copper is strongly associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. (14)

How Kiwis Help Prevent Diabetes

  • As mentioned previously, kiwis have a strong influence on blood pressure control. High blood pressure has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes. (10)
  • In general, fruit consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of diabetes. (11)
    • One of the reasons fruit protects against diabetes high fiber content. The fiber in fruit helps slow digestion and, therefore, absorption of sugars into the blood. This helps improve and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. (12)
  • Consumption of at least one kiwi per week helped reduce fibrinogen levels in one study. When at high concentrations, fibrinogen increases your risk of diabetes. (13)

Kiwis Promote a Number of Health Benefits

Kiwis have a wide variety of health benefits beyond disease prevention.

How Kiwis Promote Digestion

  • Kiwis contain a lot of fiber and water, which help to regulate digestion and improve symptoms of IBS. (14)
  • A number of proteins found in kiwis have been shown to help prevent increased permeability of the GI tract. Increased permeability is called leaky gut, which leads to increased inflammation in the body. Leaky gut can also lead to several other issues, such as chronic fatigue and joint aches. (15) Proteins like actinidin in kiwis protect the integrity of the GI tract. (16)
  • Kiwi antioxidants have shown strong stability in the GI tract, which mean that they are extremely effective in protecting our digestive system from damage, even in the at times harsh conditions of the human digestive system. (16)
  • The fiber in kiwis has prebiotic effects and, therefore, promotes gut health and proper digestion. (17)

How Kiwis Promote Immune Health

  • Proper gut health helps to improve immune function and response. Therefore, the prebiotic effect of kiwi fiber may help influence this enhanced immune function. (17)
  • Kiwis are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps promote the function of several immune cells, including T cells. (18)
  • Kiwis have been shown to have strong antimicrobial effects, and, therefore, help protect against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. (19)
  • Kiwis have even been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of symptoms associated with upper respiratory tract infections. (20)

How Kiwis Promote Healthy Aging

Kiwis have been shown to promote healthy aging through a number of functions.

  • Being high in vitamin C, kiwis promote the synthesis of collagen, which helps support skin structure. (21)
  • Vitamin E prevents damage to your skin cells by neutralizing free radicals. (22)
  • Biologically, one of the signs of aging is a reduction in telomere length. Kiwis have a number of properties that protect telomeres. (23)

How Kiwis Promote Vision

Kiwis contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants are vital to the protection of our eyes. They have been shown to protect against macular degeneration, age related loss of vision. (24)

Concerns With Kiwis

  • Many people have an allergic reaction to kiwis, so proceed with caution if you are concerned.
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