Which fruit is differently called Chinese gooseberry? He is known to all of us. This 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 to eat kiwi correctly - with its shaggy skin or without it, picking out the flesh with a spoon? We will talk about all this in our article. If you ask: "Where did the kiwi come from?", Most people will say: "From New Zealand." This is true and not. The fact is that the fruit itself (or rather, the ancestor of the known kiwi) 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 fruit with the taste of pineapple, gooseberry, strawberry and banana from a non-edible plant. And in order to honor the work of scientists who gave mankind a new product, it was decided to call it kiwi - in honor of the flightless bird that lives only in New Zealand and is its national symbol.
The 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 twentieth century, this orderly came from New Zealand and traveled to China. And there he noticed a 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 decorative vine to New Zealand. It was the mihutao flowers that interested an amateur gardener, since berries that looked like gooseberries were tasteless and hard. When the creeper seeds arrived, Allison zealously engaged in their cultivation. Numerous fertilizers, vaccinations and trimming gave an unexpected result: the Chinese gooseberry not only began to grow by fifteen to twenty centimeters per day, but also every two days to give a plentiful harvest of large and very tasty berries.
How the world learned about kiwi
Alexander Ellison possessed the talent of a breeder, but, alas, he did not have any entrepreneurial streak. About a quarter of a century, only his family and friends knew about the delicious fruits of the cultivated vine of mihutao. And perhaps the world would never have known what the Chinese gooseberry is, if not for the global crisis that erupted in the thirties of the twentieth century. At that time, many people were losing their jobs as businesses closed. Among them was a New Zealand port clerk, James MacLocklin. Having lost his job, he went to the farm with his relative and decided to try his hand at a new business, namely the cultivation and sale of citrus fruits. But lemons, due to the same crisis, were not in demand. And to grow them in the climate of New Zealand was difficult. And here James MacLoclin heard that his farmer neighbors every two days harvest a crop of unprecedented fruits, the taste of which resembles watermelon, pineapple and strawberries at the same time. He bought creeper sprouts and began to grow fruit for sale. Exotic fruit snapped up. Soon, the Macloclin plantation grew to thirty acres. And other farmers from New Zealand took up the cultivation of creepers according to his example. They were also interested in the mihutao liana in its homeland. Chinese breeders are trying to grow fruit with red pulp.
What substances does kiwi (fruit) contain?
Vitamins B1 and B2, E and PP - this is not a complete list of the beneficial substances that make up the Chinese gooseberry. There is as much carotene in kiwi as in carrot. But most of all in this “plush” fruit is vitamin C. One medium-sized fruit alone contains 1.5 daily allowance. 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 kiwi potassium. Medium-sized Chinese gooseberries contain 120 milligrams of this healthy mineral. Recently, scientists have discovered lianas and enzymes in fruits, which help the body burn fat and strengthen collagen fibers.
Kiwi benefits for the body
This shaggy fruit is a real vitamin bomb. Its benefits are hard to overestimate. Vitamin C will strengthen your immunity to viral diseases. Carotene has a beneficial effect on visual acuity. Potassium, which is found in large quantities in Chinese gooseberries, lowers blood pressure, so hypertensive patients should use it more often. Kiwi's benefits to the body are also expressed in its ability to dilute cholesterol plaques that block arteries. Norwegian doctors concluded that if you consume two or three fruits of Chinese gooseberries every day for a month, this will reduce the risk of blood clots by twenty percent. This fruit also lowers the level of fatty acids in the blood. Kiwi is also useful for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If you eat one fruit after a hearty meal, you will not be tormented by heartburn or belching. This fruit helps dissolve kidney stones. And since it contains almost no sugar, diabetics can eat it without fear.
Help in the fight against extra pounds
Chinese gooseberries have a lot of fat burning enzymes as well as coarse fiber from plants. The fruit has a mild laxative effect. The average size kiwi fruit (weighing 60 grams) contains only 30 calories. All this makes the fruit an indispensable tool in the fight against excess weight. In addition, Chinese gooseberry enzymes 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, thanks 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 substances necessary for prolonging youth. And if you often enjoy Chinese gooseberries, gray hair will not touch your hair soon.
Harm Kiwi
Chinese gooseberries are ahead of citrus in vitamin C content. For this reason, it is considered an allergenic product. It can not be eaten by people with individual intolerance to lemons, oranges, watermelons. If you have an increased stomach acid or you have an ulcer, you should also be careful with Chinese gooseberries. Look for less common yellow kiwi. It is sweeter and contains less acids. At a time when you are suffering from diarrhea, it is better to refuse to eat this fruit because it has a laxative effect.
How to eat kiwi
Many people believe that in the Chinese gooseberry only its delicate green (or yellow) pulp is edible. And to the question about how to eat kiwi, they answer: "Just as they eat a soft-boiled egg." They mean by this that it is necessary to cut the fetus in half and use a spoon to scrape out the contents of the two cups. But the peel of a kiwi is not an egg shell. It has many useful substances. There are three times more antioxidants with anti-cancer effects on the body in the skin of the fetus than in its pulp. And the skin of kiwi has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. How to eat kiwi correctly? With a dull knife or a device for cleaning carrots, you first need to “shave” the fruit. Without hair tickling the tongue and palate, the skin of the Chinese gooseberry is as soft as an apple.
What is made from kiwi
We 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. Therefore, green fruit is often used to make salads. Kiwi is used to make juice and smoothies. The fruit is canned, compotes and confiture are made from it. The sour juice of Chinese gooseberries breaks down meat protein. Therefore, kiwi is used for pickling beef. A festive saturated fruit color makes it indispensable for decorating cakes and ice cream.