Its official the kiwifruit is one of the most ‘nutritionally dense’ natural food sources available it has a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals per calorie than most other fruits. One kiwifruit provides about 115% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin C and about 2% of the RDA for Iron. In addition one fruit also delivers around 14% of an adult’s daily folate requirement. Given that green leafy vegetables, the best sources of folate, typically lose 50% of their folate in cooking, the folate of kiwifruit is more valuable than it would first appear. The potassium content of kiwifruit is about the fourth highest amongst any domestic fruit and the calcium content of a kiwifruit at 2.25% RDA is not particularly high but provides a non dairy source of calcium particularly useful if you follow a vegan diet.

One kiwifruit has an average of 0.35mg of chromium. Chromium has a role in regulating the heartbeat and the body’s use of carbohydrate like sugars and starches, which are our bodies main source of energy. Studies suggest that maintaining our chromium levels within certain limits may be a key factor in avoiding conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Current tentative indications are that between 0.05mg and 0.2 mg daily is the amount of chromium required on a daily basis therefore consuming one kiwifruit would provide a high proportion of our daily chromium requirements. Kiwifruit also has antioxidant properties and contains 1.5 grams of crude fibre and several times that of dietary fibre which is necessary to maintain a healthy bowel and intestine.

The most commonly available type of kiwifruit found in this country is the green fleshed type introduced from New Zealand and the fruit is readily available all year round.

Read more nutrition facts

www.calharvest.com/kinutr7.html

RECIPES

Kiwifruit salsa
http://fp.jculf.plus.com/malcolm/recipe_02.htm

Lamb Patties with kiwifruit sauce.
www.diet.recipes-to-go.com/Lamb_Patties_With_Kiwefruit_Sauce.htm