What are the health benefits of kiwifruit?

 What are the health benefits of kiwifruit?

A school teacher introduced the fruit Trusted Source to New Zealand in 1904, upon returning from China with seeds. The New Zealanders called it “kiwi” after their national bird.

Kiwi has a reputation as a health food because of its high vitamin C content, but the fruit is also rich in other nutrients. These may help reduce blood pressure, boost wound healing, help maintain bowel health, and more.

Below, learn more about the potential benefits and risks of adding kiwi to the diet.

Possible health benefits

Kiwi and other fruits provide a range of health benefits due to their nutritional contents. Kiwis are a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.

Healthful skin

Vitamin C contributes Trusted Source to the production of collagen, a key component in cells and organs throughout the body, including the skin. The vitamin also boosts the body’s ability to heal wounds.

A 2019 review of studies found that taking oral collagen supplements may help boost skin elasticity and hydration and reduce wrinkles. Taking supplements is not the same as consuming vitamin C in kiwis, but eating the fruit may still help keep the skin healthy.

One kiwi weighing 69 grams (g)Trusted Source provides 64 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C. This represents 71–85% of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement Trusted Source.

Kiwifruit also provides vitamin E, or tocopherol. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E and its ability to help protect the skin from sun damage may help prevent skin disorders

Better sleep

A 2011 study looked at the effects of kiwifruit on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. The researchers found that eating kiwis  better  sleep, according to self-reported measures.

The scientists suggested that this benefit may stem from the antioxidant and serotonin contents of kiwis.

 Kiwis contain fiber, potassium, and antioxidants, all  of which may support heart health.

The American Heart Association Trusted Source (AHA) encourage people to increase their potassium intake while reducing their consumption of added salt, or sodium.

Potassium relaxes the blood vessels, which helps manage blood pressure, and people with low blood pressure tend to be less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

One kiwi contains about 215 mg Trusted Source of potassium, or nearly 5% of an adult’s daily requirement Trusted Source.

Kiwi’s fiber content may also benefit cardiovascular health. A review Trusted Source published in 2017 found that people who consume high amounts of fiber have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. They also tend to have less low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol.

One kiwi provides around 2 gTrusted Source of fiber, or 6–9% of an adult’s daily requirement Trusted Source.

Antioxidants — including vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin — help remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that the body produces during metabolism and other processes.

If too many free radicals build up, they can cause Trusted Source oxidative stress, which can result in cell damage. This damage may lead to  problems such as heart disease or cancer. Antioxidants can help protect the body by removing free radicals.