Eat KIWIS!!! because....

Containing more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange, the kiwi is a small fruit that packs a wallop of nutrition. The national fruit of China, where it has been called a macaque peach, vine pear, or hairy bush fruit, among other names, it was introduced to New Zealand at the turn of the last century. The kiwi was called the Chinese gooseberry before its name was changed to kiwifruit upon its move to the USA in the 1960s. Currently, Italy, New Zealand, Chile, France, Japan and the United States are the world’s top producers of kiwis.

Here are six health benefits of kiwis.

Cardiovascular Benefits

The fiber in kiwifruit may be an effective against a number of ailments. Researchers have found that diets that contain plenty of fiber can reduce high cholesterol levels, which may reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack. Kiwis are also abundant in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects our bodies from free radicals that can cause oxidative stress and lead to a host of severe medical conditions, such as atherosclerosis that can cause heart disease.

Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure, and thereby lower the chances of developing of hypertension, as well as cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C also ensures proper dilation of blood vessels, which may prevent atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, and angina pectoris. Having a few kiwifruit a day may also reduce the amount of triglycerides in your blood, avoiding blood clots and helping to protect cardiovascular health. Kiwi is a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and copper, all of which may function separately or together to protect the cardiovascular system.

Cancer Prevention

The vitamin C in kiwis is a powerful and effective water-soluble antioxidant, protecting our bodies from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Excessive oxidative stress is associated with many different types of cancer, including lung, mouth, throat, colon, stomach and esophagus. Vitamin C also helps to regenerate your supplies of vitamin E (another useful antioxidant).

Bone and Connective Tissue Support

The vitamin C in kiwis is an indispensable water-soluble antioxidant that moves throughout the body, neutralizing all free radicals it comes into contact with. Free radicals can damage healthy cells, and cause inflammation in bone and connective tissue. Vitamin C can be of some help in reducing the severity conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Kiwis are also a good source of potassium, which prevents the weakening of bones. A high sodium intake, which is typical of many American diets, can cause excessive amount of calcium to be lost through the urine, which threatens the strength and general health of bones. The potassium found in bananas neutralizes the high amounts of sodium in one's diet, thus allowing for healthy amounts of calcium to remain within the body.

Digestive Tract Health

The fiber in kiwis helps to move food through the stomach to the large intestine at a healthier pace. This keeps any one part of the digestive tract from having to work too hard and supports the ideal balance of chemicals and populations of microorganisms required for a healthy digestive system. Fiber is also good for binding and removing toxins from the colon, which is helpful for preventing colon cancer.

Blood Sugar Regulation

The fiber in kiwis helps move food through the digestive system at an even pace and regulates blood sugar absorption. An excess of sugar uptake all at once can produce an unwanted sugar spike. A lack of simple sugar uptake may produce a rapid blood sugar drop. Either extreme can upset blood sugar balance. The fiber in kiwis helps avoid both extremes.

Lung Health

Kiwi fruit contains more vitamin C than oranges and is especially effective against respiratory health problems such as wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma and cough. A famous study in Italy followed over 18,000 children aged 6-7 years only to find that those eating the most citrus and kiwifruit had 44% less incidence of wheezing compared to children eating the least fruit. Shortness of breath was reduced by 32%, chronic cough by 25%, and runny nose by 28%.