5 kiwifruit meals that are rich in folate and high on taste

When you think about foods rich in folate, what comes to mind? For many people, high in nutrition equals low in taste. But healthy food doesn’t have to be bland and boring. In fact, we’ve come up with five meal recipes that are guaranteed to be good for your health AND for your taste buds. For one, they are all rich sources of folate, which can bring a host of benefits when part of the daily diet^1,4. For another, they are all full of exciting and taste-bud-tingling ingredients like Zespri kiwifruit. Both SunGold and Green varieties can be used in the recipes, so take your pick!

Quinoa salad with vegetables and Zespri kiwifruit

With 98.72 μg per serving, this light summer salad contains 25 % of your recommended daily allowance of folate – which is great news when you find out all the health benefits the nutrient can bring1,4. Also known as B9, folate performs many important functions to keep the human body healthy^1,4. Zespri kiwifruit contain between 31-38 μg of folate per 100 g2-3, which is why they are considered a source of this nutrient¹ (and why they are included in this folate-rich recipe!).

Spinach, haricot bean, avocado and kiwifruit salad

Since cooking destroys folate, you can increase your folate intake by eating raw ingredients such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Plus, less cooking equals less stress! This simple dish is bursting with colour and flavour, yet it only takes around a quarter of an hour to prepare. You better set the table!

Egg pudding with spinach and Zespri kiwifruit

Did you know that the human body is not able to produce folate? For this reason it’s necessary to find good sources in the diet (and it’s also a good excuse for finding delicious folate filled recipes). This colourful layered starter is a real family favourite: it looks exciting, and it tastes even better. Zespri kiwifruit perfectly contrast with the other flavours in the dish, creating a surprising sensation that will please everybody’s palate.

Poached egg with SunGold kiwifruit, ham and spinach

Folate has also been associated with a reduction in tiredness and fatigue^4,5, which is why we recommended getting a good dose of the mineral early in the morning. And not only is this breakfast dish high in folate, but it will also give you a great boost of vitamin C. In fact, thanks to the juicy kiwifruit it contains, you’ll get your entire daily allowance^2-3!

Roasted lamb with yogurt, kiwifruit, spinach, mushrooms, seeds and watercress

You might not have considered combining kiwifruit with meat before, but actually the flavours are the perfect partners. Whether you choose Zespri SunGold or Zespri Green, you’ll have a light yet satisfying summer dish that tastes even better in the sunshine.

References

1. European Commission. EU register on nutrition and health claims (2012).
2. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited. (2015). New Zealand Food Composition Database: New Zealand FOODfiles 2014 Version 01. Retrieved March 30, 2015 from http://www.foodcomposition.co.nz/foodfiles.
3. USDA. USDA national nutrient database for standard reference (release 28). 2015.
4. EU Commission. (2018) Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Retrieved July 10, 2018 from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32011R1169
5. Bailey LB, Stover PJ, McNulty H, Fenech MF, Gregory JF 3rd, Mills JL, Pfeiffer CM, Fazili Z, Zhang M, Ueland PM, Molloy AM, Caudill MA, Shane B, Berry RJ, Bailey RL, Hausman DB, Raghavan R, Raiten DJ. Biomarkers of nutrition for development-folate review. J Nutr. 2015;145:1636S-1680S