Varieties, Growing and Types of Kiwifruit
A kiwi feed is an exotic fruit (more precisely a "berry") produced from a kind of "liana" typical of East Asia, the Actinida (Actinidiaceae family), and in particular from Actinidia deliciosa.
kiwiThe fruits of the different varieties of kiwifruit have different shapes and colours; in Italy, the two varieties marketed with good diffusion on the territory are the GREEN kiwi and the GOLD kiwi. Both have the shape and size of a tuber (about 100g) and at the center of the fruit contain many small seeds of black color, the differences consist in the shape, color of the flesh and the skin (the first is oval with green flesh and hairy skin, while the second is more elongated, with yellowish flesh and skin free of hairs).
Although the kiwi is a fruit originally Asian, since the early '900 was imported into other continents and nations that have subsequently started the cultivation. In Italy it arrived only at the end of the twentieth century but was a great success; to date, especially thanks to the cultivation of Veneto, Piedmont and Lazio, our country is among the top producers and exporters of kiwifruit in the world (along with China and New Zealand).
Nutritional characteristics
Let's start by specifying that the kiwi is a fruit generally consumed from the autumn season until the end of winter; a portion of kiwi corresponds to about 200g of product (100-300g) which, in numerical terms, refers on average to 2 fruits (1-3 fruits); the frequencies of consumption referred to kiwi do not differ from those indicated for the rest of the fruit, so, in accordance with individual needs, you can eat from 2 to 4 portions per day (especially in sports).
A portion of kiwi provides 44-132 kcal (on average 88kcal) and is included among the sweet foods, therefore with a prevalence of carbohydrates. The sugars contained in it are simple and more precisely composed of fructose; those few fats that can be found are triglycerides consisting of unsaturated chains, while proteins are NOT characterized by a good biological value and contain mainly amino acids: aspartic acid, glutamic acid and arginine. The kiwi is a good source of water, fiber (admirably the content of soluble), potassium (K) and ascorbic acid (vit. C).
Applications and beneficial properties
The kiwi is certainly a very "rich" fruit and is used with ductility in different types of diets; the high intake of water, antioxidants and potassium gives it a good applicability in the diet of athletes and hypertension, while the amount of dietary fiber seems to act in a positive way on intestinal motility preventing constipation and probably some forms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Surfing the web, it is possible to come across many threads that illustrate many therapeutic properties; these, if read quickly and superficially, would make the kiwi a miraculous fruit to say the least! We talk about anti-aging action, prevention of hypertension, reduction of blood triglycerides, dental protection, eye protection, atherosclero conservation, etc.. In reality, the nutritional principles and other molecules responsible for the relative (and questionable) characteristics are exactly the same as those of most fruit and vegetable products, i.e. some mineral salts, vitamins and antioxidants in general.
The kiwi is without any doubt a useful fruit for reaching the recommended levels of intake of the nutrients and for maintaining the intestinal integrity, but, by virtue of the information collected so far, it is not possible to define it as a food with peculiar or unique characteristics.
Essential fatty acids, allergies and laxative effect
With 620 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per gram, kiwi seed oil is by far one of the most generous sources of this essential fatty acid, the progenitor of the now "famous" omega three. In fresh food the content of alpha linolenic acid is lower, but still noteworthy; according to data released by the American Department of Agriculture, a kiwi of medium size (80 grams) provides on average 33.6 mg of alpha linolenic acid. Since the need for omega three in adulthood amounts to 1000-1500 mg per day, kiwi consumption does not contribute significantly to the coverage of this need.