Kiwi, much more than fiber

Vitamins, fiber and few calories

Kiwifruit is a fruit rich in water and, for 100g of kiwi, which would be a medium-large unit, we take about 85g of water and 2.85g of fiber. It provides about 50 kilocalories and very low amounts of protein and fat since its energy comes mainly from sugars, about 10 g. A part is a food rich in potassium and. Compared with other fruits, we cannot underestimate its content of folic acid and vitamin E.

The golden kiwi

It is a variety obtained by crossing seeds and is characterized by being slightly larger, longer and with more yellow / golden flesh than the traditional kiwi. Its meat is sweeter since it contains a little more sugar and is slightly more caloric.

How to take it

The most common way to take kiwi is as is, as fresh fruit, for dessert, although it is also used fresh for breakfast. Apart from this, it can be part of sweets such as cakes, smoothies, ice cream or sorbets and it can be added to exotic salads as a note of differentiation. Although it is not very common, it can also be used in savory dishes together with salmon, cheese, tomatoes ... and for the more daring with pasta, tuna ...

Kiwi is one of the fruits with the highest vitamin C content. This famous antioxidant vitamin is found especially in citrus fruits, red fruits and also in kiwi! Kiwifruit contains higher amounts of vitamin C than other fruits also rich in it, such as tangerines, currants, lime or grapefruit, and almost the same amount as mangoes.

Who is it good for and who is not?

They are recommended for:

• Constipation: its fiber content helps to meet the fiber requirements and contributes to a fluid intestinal transit, avoiding it.
• Weight control diets: its main component is water, and although it contains sugars, its satiating capacity with few calories make it suitable for weight control diets.
• Pregnancy: due to its nutritional content, vitamin C and E, folic acid, potassium, fiber ... it is an advisable food in pregnancy since constipation problems tend to occur, micronutrient requirements are increased, etc.
• Iron deficiency anemia: the intake of foods rich in vitamin C after taking plant foods that contain iron increases the bioavailability of this mineral.
• Potassium deficiency: after vomiting episodes or in treatment with diuretics, it is advisable to increase the intake of potassium, the kiwi will help us to achieve this.

They are not suitable in case:

• Diarrhea: due to the fiber content of kiwi and its laxative properties, it is not recommended when intestinal transit is too high, as it does not favor its improvement, it could even worsen the clinical picture.
• Potassium control: kidney patients who have to control potassium intake should monitor, among other foods, kiwi, its potassium content makes it inadvisable in these cases.

Buying and conservation advice

When choosing kiwis we must discard damaged or stained specimens that give off a bad smell, that present swelling and / or that are excessively soft to the touch. We must bear in mind that kiwi ripening is very slow and if we acquire them hard we can keep them for up to 15 days, we can accelerate their ripening if we keep them together with fruits that give off ethylene such as apples. If we keep them refrigerated we can keep the kiwis for up to a month.

The best way to consume it to take advantage of all its qualities and nutrients is to eat it raw in the form of fresh fruit, either alone, in salads or salads made and eaten. When peeling it, we must cut the skin very thin because the fleshy layer under the skin is the most nutritious area. Another option if it is ripe is to cut it in half and take it with a spoon.

The recipe

Soft goat cheese, kiwi and cherry tomato canapes

• Toasts for canapés
• Soft goat cheese
• Kiwi
• Cherry tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar of Modena
• Olive oil

preparation:

Slice the goat cheese. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Peel the kiwi, cut it into thin slices and cut them in half. Assemble the toasts by placing the soft goat cheese on the base, on one side the half cherry and on the other the piece of kiwi. Make a vinaigrette of 3 parts of oil and one of vinegar and season with a fine drizzle.

• Season: it ripens in winter but as we have different varieties from various countries, we have it all year round.
• Benefits: it is rich in fiber, vitamin C, potassium and provides few calories.
• Ideal in: constipation, weight control diets, pregnancy, potassium deficiencies.