Kiwi Fruit: A Nutrient Packed Snack

Oranges are known for being rich in vitamin C, but did you know that kiwi fruit has more? This tropical fruit is a nutrient powerhouse and replacing it with one of your normal snacks everyday can give you a sweet and tart treat that will put you on the road to better health. The good news is that you can find these in your produce section all year long for a pretty good price too.

Cardiovascular Health

Kiwi fruit is packed with vitamin C, but it also contains good amounts of potassium, copper, magnesium and phosphorus. It also has plenty of fiber. Research shows that regularly consuming this super fruit may help to reduce the risk of having a heart attack and developing heart disease. This fruit may also help to keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Eating about two kiwi fruit per day may also substantially reduce your blood triglyceride levels and your risk for blood clots. Some are comparing kiwi fruit to aspirin in terms of anti-clotting effects, but without the side effects.

This fruit contains vitamins C, vitamin E, potassium, polyphenols, magnesium and copper. All of these either work together or alone to promote the health of your heart and blood vessels.

Asthma

The vitamin C packed into this little fruit may offer you protection against wheezing and other asthma-related symptoms. A study that was published in Thorax showed that children ages six through seven who consumed the most kiwi fruit and citrus fruit experienced less wheezing than children who consumed the least of these types of fruits. Other symptoms that were reduced include shortness of breath, night time cough, runny nose, severe wheeze and chronic cough. These children in the study were living in Northern and Central Italy. The children in the study experienced protective benefits when eating kiwi fruit as little as one or two times a week.

Macular Degeneration

Carrots still play a critical role in keeping our eyes healthy, especially as children, but as adults it seems fruits may play a bigger role. Eating a minimum of three fruit servings per day may reduce your risk of developing the eye condition known as age-related macular degeneration according to a study that was published in the Archives of Opthamology. Macular degeneration is the main reason that older adults experience vision loss. The study showed that the intake of fruit definitely played a role in protecting people against this condition.

Resources

WHFoods: Kiwifruit