Our diet represents a great opportunity to improve our health by relieving the symptoms of various ailments and diseases. Not only that, but keeping fit above all has a preventive action in many cases. This is why it is important to follow the advice of the experts and to have a varied and balanced diet, combining it with healthy physical activity. Among the many foods that are mostly beneficial for health, there is a fruit that has now entered our homes for years. We fill up on potassium, fiber and antioxidants by putting this seasonal fruit, light and tasty, in the cart.
Below we will explain what fruit it is and why we should include it in our diet, in which cases and how to enjoy it.
A fruit that came from afar
Different types of fruit and vegetables can now be found in every supermarket, but in reality their origin is much more exotic. This is the case of the kiwi, a fruit originally from China and which has since spread to almost all over the world. Today the largest producers are New Zealand, France, the United States and Japan and also Italy, where kiwis are in season from November to May.
In fact, there are as many as 21 varieties of kiwifruit, each with a slightly different appearance and a more or less acidic flavor. In any case, the properties that this fruit contains are many and it is worth knowing them to consume kiwi in a conscious way.
We fill up on potassium, fiber and antioxidants by putting this seasonal fruit in the cart
Kiwi is a light fruit which is very suitable if we want to lose weight. In fact, 100 grams of kiwifruit correspond to only 44 calories. In fact, almost 70% of the pulp is made up of water, but there are also sugars, fibers, vitamins and minerals. If we consider the vitamins present in greater quantities, we cannot fail to mention that of type C, contained in even larger quantities than oranges. In fact, kiwifruit also contains polyphenols and carotenoids. That’s not all, because by consuming this fruit we can also get good amounts of vitamin K and vitamin E.
As for minerals, in 100 grams of kiwifruit there are 400 mg of potassium, followed by phosphorus and calcium. This is no small feat, considering that potassium can help protect cardiovascular health. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, on the other hand, can help fight free radicals responsible for cell damage and aging. The fibers, on the other hand, ascribe the kiwi among those common fruits, great allies against constipation and a sluggish intestine.
Be careful, however, because kiwifruit could interfere with some anticoagulant drugs and against high blood pressure. In addition, its consumption is contraindicated for those suffering from kidney or gallbladder problems. However, in case of doubt, we always consult our treating doctor.
How to eat kiwi
We can enjoy the flavor of kiwi not only by eating the simple fruit. We can also create very healthy smoothies, using only kiwifruit or in combination with fruit or vegetables. For example, to dampen the acidity, we put the peeled kiwi in a mixer together with half of a banana and cinnamon, to taste. For a more consistent smoothie we can also add low-fat yogurt or milk.