What Are the Health Benefits of Kiwi Juice? 

The kiwifruit is an unusual fruit, especially compared to apples and peaches and other fruits Americans are familiar with. It’s small, it’s brown, and it has a fuzzy skin. Associated with New Zealand but actually native to China, the kiwifruit is known for its bright green inner flesh and its uniquely sweet flavor. Though it is perhaps best known for being included in fruit salads, the juice of kiwifruit has gained popularity in recent years as an additive in hard seltzers, cocktail mixes, juice blends, and a wide variety of other beverage applications. Yet this strange little fruit isn’t just a tasty add-on; it also comes loaded with nutrients and health benefits.   

Where Does the Kiwifruit Come From?     

The most common kiwi plant (Actinidia deliciosa) is a woody vine that’s native to China and Taiwan. The fruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry, is actually a berry with brown, fibrous skin, green flesh, and edible tiny black seeds in the center. The kiwifruit was originally used for medicinal purposes, and it wasn’t truly cultivated until the early 20th century when it was brought from China to New Zealand. It was British and American servicemen in World War II who took a liking to the fruit and later created an interest for it in the United States and Europe.

Nutritional Value of Kiwifruit and Kiwi Juice  

Both fresh kiwi and its juice—whether it’s homemade kiwi juice or a juice concentrate—are full of beneficial nutrients that the body needs to function. The only major difference between the fruit and the juice is that the fruit has more dietary fiber (simply because you actually consume more plant matter when eating it). In either case, at 61 kcal per 100 grams, kiwifruit is low-calorie way to introduce a variety of nutrients into any healthy diet:

Vitamins (%DV)

• vitamin A (15%)
• vitamin C (112%)
• vitamin K (38%)
• vitamin E (10%)
• folate (6%)
• vitamin B6 (5%)

Minerals (%DV)

• calcium (3%)
• phosphorus (5%)
• potassium (7%)
• manganese (5%)
• magnesium (5%)

Kiwifruit and its juice also contain a number of other compounds like carotenoids and polyphenols that recent research has identified as having antioxidant properties. During the normal course of cells dividing, particles called free radicals are sometimes formed. When these particles accumulate in the body, they put the body in a state called oxidative stress that is known to be a starting point for various diseases. Antioxidants, introduced in part through dietary sources, can protect the body from oxidative stress by absorbing free radicals.

The Health Benefits of Kiwifruit and Kiwi Juice

Many of the nutrients contained in kiwifruit are useful for basic bodily functions, but some of those nutrients are also associated with other health benefits. Below are some of the ways that the consumption of kiwi juice and fruit can be good for your health:

• Heart health: Eating more fruits and vegetables in general is important for overall health and wellness, but kiwis may be particularly good for promoting heart health and reducing the risk of heart disease. Kiwifruit has significant potassium content, which helps remove sodium from our bloodstream; reduced sodium means lower blood pressure levels, less strain on the circulatory system, and less chance of clotting. There is also some evidence that kiwifruit can increase HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind of cholesterol). 
• Digestive health: Though the whole fruit has more fiber, kiwi juice does still contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Getting a sufficient amount of fiber each day is important for maintaining a healthy digestive system and preventing common symptoms like constipation. 
• Immune system function: Though vitamin C is usually associated with citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, kiwi juice also has a high vitamin C content that is known to have a beneficial effect on overall immune system function. Vitamin C helps promote the production of white blood cells, and it is used in maintaining the barriers that protect the body from pathogens. 
• Anti-inflammatory properties: The antioxidant content in kiwifruit that prevents oxidative stress can also play a role in limiting inflammation around the body. It is unclear yet precisely how kiwifruit may have this effect, but research into the benefits of the fruit and its juice are ongoing.
• Healthy vision: Kiwis also contain lutein, a carotenoid that plays a role in maintaining regular vision. Though researchers are still investigating this role, it may also help in preventing some eye conditions like age-related macular degeneration.
• Skin health: The other benefit of the high vitamin C content in kiwis is that it promotes the growth of collagen, a protein that is used in the formation of many tissues in the body. One of the tissues it’s crucial in maintaining is our skin, and consuming foods with high vitamin C may improve the skin.
• Weight loss: While kiwi juice doesn’t encourage weight loss by itself, it can be part of a weight loss plan. Part of the reason for this is that kiwifruit is a low glycemic index food; this means that it is a rich source of nutritional value that doesn’t raise blood sugar significantly. This can be beneficial for anyone trying to lose weight or for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. 
• Better sleep: Kiwifruit contains serotonin, a hormone that works as a neurotransmitter and is linked with sleep. Some research has shown that consuming kiwifruit may help improve both sleep onset and duration.

Contact FruitSmart for Juices and Concentrates

Producing high quality concentrates is the heart of what we do at FruitSmart. We also make a variety of juices, essences, purees, and dry ingredients from other fruits like apricots, pears, mangoes, and more. But beyond providing excellent products, we pride ourselves on developing new ideas and solutions for any kind of need. If you’d like to learn more about partnering with FruitSmart to deliver excellent, innovative products to your customers, please contact us today.