Kiwifruit and Potassium

Potassium is almost as important in maintaining vitality and supporting important body functions as vitamin C. Potassium supports muscle tissue, maintains electrolyte and fluid balance, and helps muscle recovery after exercise. A diet rich in potassium can help strengthen heart health and maintain normal blood pressure.

You can find potassium in a variety of foods. Most people's go-to food for high potassium content is the banana. But just one serving of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, two medium sized kiwis, contains 510mg of potassium, more than a banana! In comparison, one serving of bananas or one large banana provides 487mg of Potassium. And just like a banana, kiwifruit is a nice, portable snack that you can easily take with you anywhere. Just bite right in or cut, scoop & enjoy!

If you're trying to stay active, you'll need to eat a diet rich in potassium, among other nutrients. Potassium helps your muscles work properly, including the muscles found in your respiratory and digestive systems. But equally important, potassium regulates water retention and helps flush out excess sodium. Too much sodium in your body can increase risks associated with high blood pressure.

Kiwifruit and Fiber

We're used to talking about fiber in terms of keeping us "regular." But fiber does more than that! It's been found to lower your risk for high cholesterol and heart disease and even help you control your blood sugar levels. So having a diet rich in fiber is definitely a must. Fortunately, fiber is found in many foods, including Zespri Kiwifruit.

But beyond being simply a great source of fiber, Zespri Kiwifruit has one other trick up its sleeve. Kiwifruit is one of the only fruits that contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. It's this combination of fiber that helps reduce the feelings of bloat and increases digestive comfort. But more importantly, it helps sugars absorb more slowly into your bloodstream. This is perfect for anyone looking to closely monitor blood sugar levels.

Fiber is instrumental in removing waste from the body. This helps lower ‘bad cholesterol’ and reduce the risk of certain diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Kiwifruit and Digestive Health

Adding Zespri Kiwifruit to your daily diet is key to a happier, healthier gut. Eating kiwifruit can help maintain — and even improve — your digestive health through its combination of soluble and insoluble fiber. But that's not all!

Kiwifruit also has a naturally occurring enzyme, actinidin, that breaks down proteins in meats and dairy, making digestion a more comfortable experience overall. Both Zespri Green and SunGold contain actinidin. But, there is about four times more actinidin in Green than in the SunGold variety.

Actinidin has been shown to enhance protein digestion in the stomach and the small intestine. Digestion is faster and more complete, reducing the feeling of bloat from protein-rich foods and increasing digestive comfort.

A small number of people have reported a mild allergic reaction to actinidin. Those people might experience a tingling sensation when eating green-variety kiwifruit but do not typically have the same reaction to SunGold kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit and Low FODMAP

FODMAPs are basically carbs and sugar alcohols that are poorly digested by the body. Instead of passing through the body, they ferment in the large intestine, causing the intestine to expand. This causes bloating and pain, common in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

FODMAPS are not always artificial. They often occur in some foods naturally. Lactose in dairy. Galactans in legumes. Fructose in some fruits and vegetables. In fact, fruits such as apples, ripe bananas and pears are considered high FODMAP foods. But Zespri Kiwifruit is a great option when you want a nutrient-dense snack without the digestive discomfort.

Zespri® Kiwifruit is a perfect, healthy addition to any low-FODMAP diet. Low in calories and high in balanced fibers, kiwifruit not only delivers important nutrients to the body, but they are chock-full full of prebiotics — food that nourishes the good gut bacteria in our digestive tract.

Kiwifruit and Low Glycemic Index (GI)

The Glycemic index (GI) measures how fast certain carbohydrates in food affects our blood glucose (sugar) levels. High GI foods will cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels, whereas low GI foods are digested and absorbed more slowly. This results in a more gradual rise in blood glucose levels and insulin levels.

Looking to manage your blood glucose levels? It's best to stick with low GI foods, like Zespri Kiwifruit. Foods containing carbs are considered "low GI" if they are rated below 55. Foods are considered "high GI" if they are rated 70 and higher.

Kiwifruit and Blood Sugar

The combination of high fiber content, actinidin and low GI makes kiwifruit the perfect addition to any diet when you want to control blood sugar levels — especially between meals. This combined with the potassium content in kiwifruit can help regulate and maintain normal blood pressure.

Kiwifruit and Calories

Zespri Kiwifruit has a high nutrient density. This is because every kiwi bite is a complete, flavorful package of over 20 vitamins and minerals. But the one thing Zespri Kiwifruit does not have is a lot of calories.

Based on a single medium kiwifruit.

The low-calorie content combined with the nutrient composition is what makes Zespri Kiwifruit such a nutrient-dense superfood. You're getting a healthful heap of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — from fiber to folate, vitamin C to potassium — in every bite.

And don't skip the skin!

Kiwifruit and Skin

It's easy to cut and scoop Zespri Kiwifruit when you want a quick, portable snack. But you're missing a lot of extra nutrients — and flavor! — by tossing out the skin. Whether it's the smooth skin of SunGold or the slightly thicker "hairy" skin of Zespri Green, you can increase your nutritional intake by eating the skin.

The skin of kiwifruit nearly doubles the fiber content of Zespri SunGold, almost tripling that of Zespri Green. Zespri SunGold contains twice the fiber with four grams per two kiwifruit serving. Eating the skin of kiwifruit along with the flesh delivers 34% more folate and 32% more vitamin E to the diet. This, coupled with the high vitamin C, supports your immune system and skin health. Basically, you could say: "eat kiwi skin to help yours!"

So, give it a try next time! After washing, just bite into your Zespri Kiwifruit like an apple. We're sure you'll love it!

We all have a lot of things in our life pulling us in different directions. Now more than ever, it's important to eat healthy foods every day. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests eating five portions of fruits and veggies per day. That's about 400 grams, daily. Adding Zespri Kiwifruit is a simple, delicious way to reach those goals. And before you know it, you'll find yourself with more vigor and vitality and plenty extra energy to get you through your day.

Eat better. Feel better. Smile more. And enjoy Zespri.