Chinese gooseberry - kiwi: vitamins, benefits for the body. How to eat kiwi

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

What fruit is another name for Chinese gooseberry? He is known to all of us. It is a green and slightly shaggy kiwi fruit. A quarter of a century ago, many Soviet people did not even know about the existence of such a fruit. Now they are littered with store shelves. But how many people know about the beneficial properties of kiwi? Or think about its possible harm? And how should you eat kiwi correctly - with or without its shaggy peel, picking out the pulp with a spoon? We will talk about all this in our article. If you ask "Where does the kiwi come from?" most people will say "From New Zealand". This is both true and not. The fact is that the fruit itself (or rather, the ancestor of the kiwi we know) grows wild in China. It was brought to New Zealand only at the beginning of the twentieth century. It took about seventy years of painstaking work of breeders to grow this pineapple-flavored fruit from an inedible plant.gooseberry, strawberry and banana. And in order to honor the work of scientists who gave humanity a new product, it was decided to name it kiwi - in honor of the flightless bird that lives only in New Zealand and is its national symbol.

Contribution of amateur gardeners

Alexander Ellison did not even suspect that he was destined to become the "father" of the kiwi fruit. At the very beginning of the 20th century, this orderly, originally from New Zealand, traveled to China. And there he noticed the mihutao creeper, which in the spring was covered with stunningly beautiful white flowers. Alexander Ellison's hobby was gardening. He asked his Chinese friend to send him seeds of this ornamental vine to New Zealand. It was mihutao flowers that interested the amateur gardener, since the gooseberry-like berries were tasteless and tough. When the vine seeds arrived, Ellison busied himself with cultivating them. Numerous fertilizers, vaccinations and pruning gave an unexpected result: the Chinese gooseberry not only began to grow fifteen to twenty centimeters a day, but every two days to give a bountiful harvest of large and very tasty berries.

How the world became aware of the kiwi

Alexander Ellison had the talent of a breeder, but, alas, he had no entrepreneurial streak. For about a quarter of a century, only his family and friends knew about the delicious fruits of the cultivated mihutao liana. And perhaps the world would never have known what a Chinese gooseberry is, if not for the global crisis that erupted in the thirtiesyears of the twentieth century. At that time, many people lost their jobs as businesses closed. Among them was the New Zealand port employee James McLaughlin. After losing his job, he went to the farm to his relative and decided to try his hand at a new business, namely the cultivation and sale of citrus fruits. But lemons were not in demand due to the same crisis. And it was difficult to grow them in the climate of New Zealand. And then James McLoughlin heard that his farmer neighbors were harvesting unprecedented fruits every two days, the taste of which resembled watermelon, pineapple and strawberries at the same time. He bought creeper sprouts and began to grow fruits for sale. Exotic fruit sold out. McLoughlin's plantation soon grew to thirty acres. And other farmers from New Zealand also took up the cultivation of vines following his example. Interested in mihutao liana and in her homeland. Chinese breeders are trying to grow a red-fleshed fruit.

What substances does kiwi (fruit) contain

Vitamins B1 and B2, E and PP - this is not a complete list of useful substances that are part of the Chinese gooseberry. There is as much carotene in kiwi as in carrots. But most of all in this "plush" fruit of vitamin C. Only one medium-sized fruit contains 1.5 daily requirements. In addition to vitamins, Chinese gooseberries are also rich in valuable minerals. This is phosphorus, and calcium, and iron, and magnesium. Especially a lot of potassium in kiwi. A medium-sized Chinese gooseberry contains 120 milligrams of this beneficial mineral. Recently, scientists have discovered in the fruits of vines andenzymes that help the body burn fat and strengthen collagen fibers.

Benefits of kiwi for the body

This hairy fruit is a real vitamin bomb. Its benefits can hardly be overestimated. Vitamin C will strengthen your immunity against viral diseases. Carotene has a beneficial effect on visual acuity. Potassium, which is found in large quantities in Chinese gooseberries, lowers blood pressure, so the fruit should be consumed more often by hypertensive patients. The benefits of kiwi for the body are also expressed in its ability to thin out cholesterol plaques that block arteries. Norwegian doctors came to the conclusion that if every day for a month to eat two or three Chinese gooseberries, this will reduce the risk of blood clots by twenty percent. Also, this fruit lowers the level of fatty acids in the blood. Kiwi is also useful for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If after a hearty meal you eat one fruit, then you will not be tormented by either heartburn or belching. This fruit helps dissolve kidney stones. And since it contains almost no sugar, diabetics can safely eat it.

Help in the fight against extra pounds

Chinese gooseberries are full of fat-burning enzymes, as well as crude vegetable fiber. The fruit has a mild laxative effect. A medium-sized kiwi fruit (60 grams) contains only 30 calories. All this makes the fruit an indispensable assistant in the fight against excess weight. In addition, enzymesChinese gooseberries strengthen collagen. Therefore, the fruit is used in many diets. The benefits of kiwi for women are invaluable. The fruit normalizes hormonal balance during menopause, and also treats gynecological diseases. Kiwi, due to its rich vitamin composition, is also used in cosmetology. Curd masks with this fruit are especially popular, which saturate the skin of the face and neck with the substances necessary to prolong youth. And if you often feast on Chinese gooseberries, gray hair will not soon touch your hair.

Harm kiwi

Chinese gooseberries are ahead of citrus fruits in vitamin C content. For this reason, it is considered an allergenic product. It should not be eaten by people with individual intolerance to lemons, oranges, watermelons. If you have an acidic stomach or suffer from ulcers, you should also be wary of Chinese gooseberries. Look for the less common yellow kiwi. It is sweeter and contains less acids. During the period when you are suffering from diarrhea, it is better to stop eating this fruit, as it has a laxative effect.

How to eat kiwi

Many people believe that only the tender green (or yellow) flesh is edible in the Chinese gooseberry. And when asked about how they eat kiwi, they answer: “Just like eating a soft-boiled egg.” They mean by this that it is necessary to cut the fruit in half and scrape out the contents of two cups with a spoon. But kiwi peel is not an eggshell. It has a lotuseful substances. There are three times more antioxidants with anti-cancer effects on the body in the skin of the fruit than in its pulp. Kiwi peel also has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. How to eat kiwi correctly? With a dull knife or a carrot peeler, you first need to “shave” the fruit. With no hairs to tickle the tongue and palate, the skin of the Chinese gooseberry is as soft as an apple.

What is made from kiwi

We have already mentioned that this fruit is used in cosmetology. But in cooking, kiwi (Chinese gooseberry) takes pride of place. The fruit goes well with fish, seafood, poultry meat. Therefore, green fruit is often used to make salads. Kiwis are used to make juice and smoothies. The fruit is preserved, compotes and confiture are prepared from it. The sour juice of the Chinese gooseberry breaks down the meat protein. Therefore, kiwi is used in pickling beef. And the festive rich color of the fruit makes it indispensable for decorating cakes and ice cream.