Produce Highlight: The Key to Kiwis!

Kiwi fruit is one of the most interesting out there – brown and fuzzy and a little ho-hum on the outside, but bright green and sweet-tart on the inside. They taste great simply sliced up and snacked on or added to any meal, dish, or your morning smoothie. If you love eating local but don’t look forward to just citrus for the rest of winter, the kiwi is a great alternative! This week we’ve included some interesting facts and uses for kiwis to keep you creative with your market kiwifruit this season!

So Good – And Good For You!

The kiwi has exception nutritional value! In fact, they are considered one of the healthiest foods out there! They’re known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, boost energy while being low in calories, help maintain alkaline balance, and are a great source of antioxidants! They’re full of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, fiber, and zinc, just to name a few!

Kiwis are also great for your skin and hair! They are known to prevent hair loss and stimulate hair growth,  soften and firm skin, and even provide UV protection!

Fun Facts!

A Kiwifruit (originally called a Chinese Gooseberry) is actually a berry that grows on a woody vine. It was renamed the kiwifruit because of it’s resemblance to New Zealand’s national bird, the fuzzy brown kiwi.

Careful! If you are allergic to pineapple, you will most likely develop an allergy to kiwifruit.

Kiwi vines can produce fruit for up the 30 years, and live more than 50 years! Impressive!

The fruit was originally brought to New Zealand from China, but now grows and flourishes locally in California!

They’re Versatile!

Did you know a kiwi can be used to tenderize meat? Kiwi pulp contains an enzyme that breaks down the collagen in meat. This works best for thinly sliced meat, but be careful! A little bit goes a long way. About half a kiwi is plenty for up to five pounds of meat!

They’re great for a DIY facemask! Since they are so rich in fruit acids and vitamins, they are ideal for exfoliating and nourishing skin.

Eating two kiwifruits before bed with help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly!