I watched a documentary about kiwi fruit this week and immediately thought it would make a great topic for a Thursday Thirteen.
Thirteen Things About Kiwi fruit.
1. The Kiwi fruit originally came from China and was named the Chinese Gooseberry.
2. It was grown successfully in New Zealand and was renamed the Kiwi Fruit when New Zealand started to export the fruit to America. A New Zealand export couldn’t be called Chinese!
3. The Kiwi fruit got its name from New Zealand’s national bird, the kiwi. The fuzzy-looking fruit looks a little like the kiwi. I’ve always thought you need a good imagination to see the similarities.
4. It’s a powerhouse of nutrition and full of vitamins and minerals.
5. Kiwi fruit contain more vitamin C than oranges.
6. Kiwi fruit can help improve your immune system, helping you to ward off the affects of stress.
7. Kiwi fruit are good to remove that bloated and blocked sensation. 
8. It’s okay to eat the skin, which contains high levels of flavonoids, insoluble fiber and antioxidants, although I don’t know why anyone would eat it.
9. Kiwi fruit is good for tenderizing meat because it contains an enzyme called Actinidin.
10. Kiwifruit is a member of the botanical family Actinidia and there are 400 different varieties.
11. The flavor is a mixture of peaches, strawberries, and melon with a soft and juicy texture.
12. Kiwi fruit grows on a vine, which can be as high as 15 feet.
13. Kiwi fruit require full sun for growing and thrive in richly composted, deeply dug and well watered soils. They have male and female plants Ideally, male and female plants are planted together about 1meter apart on sturdy frames or arches or wire rows. Kiwi plants require light pruning and protection from frost.
Extra: Down this end of the world they’re an extremely popular garnish for a pavlova.
Do you like kiwi fruit?
Sources:
www.zespri.com
www.foodreference.com/html/fkiwifruit.html
www.detox-for-life.com/kiwi-fruit-facts.html
www.dreamstime.com/free-stock-photo-kiwi-rimagefree1950289-resi531124
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June 9th, 2010 at 9:23 pm · Link
Mmm…kiwi. One of my favorite fruits!
June 9th, 2010 at 9:53 pm · Link
I just visualized trying to eat the skin. Pah, pah, pha! *scraping tongue with a butter knife.*
June 9th, 2010 at 10:17 pm · Link
I have three for lunch today. Two gold and one green. They were yummy.
June 9th, 2010 at 11:39 pm · Link
We love it in our house. It’s on the grocery list every time. Happy T13!
June 10th, 2010 at 12:23 am · Link
I love kiwi fruit. But number one daughter reacts very badly. Apparently it’s a relatively common food intolerance.
June 10th, 2010 at 1:04 am · Link
Always great facts here. And now I’m hungry :-)
June 10th, 2010 at 3:24 am · Link
Followed you from Divas. I have never actually had a kiwi fruit.
June 10th, 2010 at 4:46 am · Link
Now, you’re making me hungry. I’m going to have to pick up some kiwis today.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:07 am · Link
My hubby is mad for kiwi fruit – but I bet he didn’t know as much about them! LOL!
Oh, and my mom enjoyed some recently – she didn’t realize that you don’t have to eat the skin. Let’s just say that’s a good source for help with, *ahem*, blockages.
Happy TT!
June 10th, 2010 at 6:37 am · Link
I have yet to meet a fruit that I don’t like. I knew kiwi’s were soft, yummy and good for me but I didn’t know all of this! Really, you can eat the skin? Interesting.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:51 am · Link
I like how easy it is to eat them with just a spoon once they’re cut in half. They tend to give me mouth sores for some reason, though, even more than citrus. Bummer…
June 10th, 2010 at 7:18 am · Link
To think I always thought kiwi was from Australia.
Have a great Thursday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/06/want-to-get-famous-13-blog-tips/
June 10th, 2010 at 8:23 am · Link
Interesting facts! Love kiwis!
*hugs*
Paige
My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/
June 10th, 2010 at 8:32 am · Link
I love kiwi. Thanks for all of the information about it. I like to put it in summer fruit salads because it is so colorful and tasteful.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:13 am · Link
Kiwi is okay, not my fave.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:24 am · Link
I love kiwi! I knew they were high in Vitamin C, but I didn’t know many of the other facts you shared. I have seen people eat the skin before, but I’m not sure I could bring myself to do it. It’s way too fuzzy.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:53 am · Link
Kiwi is yummy.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:16 am · Link
I used to love kiwi but then I had it in a fruit shake one day and my throat nearly swelled shut so I had to stop eating it. It is good stuff, though.
June 10th, 2010 at 12:30 pm · Link
We love kiwi. I could never eat the skin, but I throw the whole thing in the juicer and can drink it.
June 10th, 2010 at 1:29 pm · Link
Sorry…I don’t like the Kiwi Fruit….just don’t like the flavor and it’s too much work
June 10th, 2010 at 3:06 pm · Link
LOL – I have no idea why people would eat the skin – all those prickly bristles. Ugh!
Debra – juicing it would work well.
country Dew – Oh, dear! that doesn’t sound like much fun.
June 10th, 2010 at 3:29 pm · Link
Thanks for the interesting info on kiwi fruit but I’m wondering what a pavlova is?
June 10th, 2010 at 5:04 pm · Link
Hi Jackie – a pavlova is a yummy meringue like dessert that’s filled with cream and decorated with berries, kiwi fruit etc.
Here’s a link to the Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)
New Zealand and Australia hotly contest which country invented it, but it was named in honor of the ballerina Anna Pavlova. We usually have one for Christmas dinner. BTW – it was invented in New Zealand
June 10th, 2010 at 7:17 pm · Link
I love Kiwi’s. They are slippery when trying to peel them though. I don’t think I’d want to eat the skin. I had a small piece of Kiwi skin a few years ago and it wasn’t good.
June 10th, 2010 at 7:42 pm · Link
just love Kiwis!!! so tasty and colorful!!
June 10th, 2010 at 7:53 pm · Link
I always learn so much from your blog posts! I never knew there were so many kinds. Now I’m itching to try another one. And yes, I do like the ones in your picture.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:02 pm · Link
Mmmmm Kiwis.
Great post and I’m with Sasha. I love your posts.
June 11th, 2010 at 6:10 am · Link
I adore kiwi fruit.
Another use: dandy marinade for pork. Use kiwi, juice and pulp all squished up, as a marinade pork chops – one per chop. Makes for tender, fabulous pork chops with a little hint of fruity yum.