Kiwi definitely doesn’t get talked about enough. The fuzzy-skinned fruit is a focal point of every fruit salad, works great in smoothies, and can even be used to marinate meat, yet it never gets the spotlight like, let’s say, bananas, oranges, or strawberries.
So, let’s change that. Let’s talk about kiwi and find out four surprising things you probably didn’t know about this versatile fruit.
There Are More Than 60 Species of Kiwi
Most of us know kiwi as fruit with fuzzy brown skin and green flesh. But, as it turns out, this is just one of more than 60 species of kiwi. The kiwi fruit can come in various shapes, sizes, flavors, and colors. New Zealand-based company Zespri even managed to cultivate a kiwi that has red-ish flesh with a berry-like taste.
Kiwi is Native to China
Most people associate kiwi with New Zealand, especially since kiwifruit got its name after kiwi bird. However, the fruit actually originated in China, with the country still being its largest producer with a production of two million tons on a yearly basis. New Zealand, on the other hand, ranks third behind Italy and annually produces 528,000 tonnes of kiwi.
Kiwi is Full of Nutrients and Low in Calories
Kiwi comes with a lot of benefits, including high content of Vitamin C and fiber. It is also a source of several other vitamins and potassium. Another great thing about kiwi is that this awesome fruit is low in calories despite being sweet.
You Can Tenderize Meat with Kiwi
If you want to make your steak or some other cut of meat tender, don’t immediately reach for a hammer. Instead, just make a kiwi puree and let the meat marinate in it for around 15 minutes. The enzyme actinidain found in kiwi will break down the proteins in meat and make it tender in a heartbeat.
