Kiwi is considered a versatile and healthy fruit. It is often used in salads, marinades, and also as a fruit garnish for cocktails or ice cream desserts. Enzymes make it a versatile meat tenderizer.
The unusual fruits are small, as if they were plush, they contain a lot of potassium (about 120 mg on average) and coarse fiber, as well as vitamins PP, C, E. But there are very few calories.
The taste here combines strawberries, banana, melon and pineapple. Kiwi is eaten fresh, made into jelly, served with meat, and added to salads. A few fruits after a hearty lunch will help you forget about heaviness in the stomach, heartburn and belching.
How to choose?
The main distributors of kiwi on the market are New Zealand and Italy. Here the consumption of these fruits is highest. Italians, for example, eat about 4 kg per year, and in New Zealand - 3.5 kg.
About 30 varieties have already been bred. The most common is Hayward. This species is considered late-ripening and is approximately the size of a chicken egg. Ripe Hayward tastes sweet with a slight sourness. Another variety is Monty. He is mid-season.
Its skin is light brown, the fibers are of medium length. Montys can be medium or large in size and are pear-shaped. The earliest ripening is Bruno. Its flowering lasts 10 days, and the fruits ripen in mid-December. Bruno's skin is red-brown, the fibers are short and shiny, the flesh is green and sugary. There are also Matua, Tumori, Jenny, Abot and others.
The fruit should be slightly soft, capable of pressing when pressed. Excessive hardness or, conversely, softness will indicate immaturity or depravity, respectively. Choose fruit with a light, mild aroma - this is an indicator of high quality. It has its own special aroma. It smells like melon, gooseberry or strawberry at the same time. Fresh fruit should not smell like sour wine.
To choose the right good and ripe fruits, you need to carefully examine them. Pay attention to the hairs - they must be hard, dark, but at the same time easy to peel off. Eliminate dark spots on the skin - a sign of fruit disease. Consider the place where the stalk is located - the humidity there should not be too high.
Even when pressed, no liquid should come out. Otherwise, the fruit was most likely damaged during transportation or storage and may have been spoiled for a long time. “Bald” species have also been bred - this variety is considered elite and can be found on sale very rarely.
How to preserve all the beneficial properties?
It is imperative to store the fruit at low temperatures (you can directly in the refrigerator).
The shelf life can be more than a month. Firm fruits will last longer. If they are not ripe, then you can simply store them on the kitchen table - this way they will slowly ripen and become soft.
It is better to store fruits in containers with air holes. You can use a plastic container or simply poke holes in the bag.
Without air, the fruit will quickly rot and become covered with a moldy coating. It is also worth considering that it perfectly absorbs odors. Keep fruits away from strong odors and foods. Even if you store the fruit for quite a long time, the amount of nutrients will not decrease. This is “guaranteed” by the peel and special acids.
What are the benefits of kiwi?
It is very useful for women! Prevents early gray hair, burns fat in the body, helping to keep you in shape. In addition, it is a faithful assistant for those who prefer to eat heartily. One thing is enough, instead of various pills, to make your stomach feel light and not a trace of heartburn remains. Older people should eat kiwi to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the body.
It contains a huge amount of vitamin C, which perfectly strengthens the immune system and keeps the entire body in good shape. It also contains a lot of iron, which is very helpful for blood diseases. Kiwi will also not harm athletes - it helps the body recover faster after physical activity.
To maintain beauty, masks are made from the pulp. By adding various components to it, you can get products for all skin types. For example, to soothe and lighten the skin a couple of tones, you can mash the pulp and add one teaspoon of poppy seeds.
Acts within 10 minutes and is suitable for all skin types. For aged skin, add a teaspoon of honey to the mask.
Any combinations and components will have a beneficial effect on the skin, because kiwi itself works great and saturates the skin with vitamins.
Doctors do not advise giving such fruits to children under five years of age. Research by scientists has shown that young children can develop diseases such as dermatosis of the pharynx and larynx, and swelling of the tongue. It can also cause allergies.
Is it necessary to peel kiwis?
Some have never even thought about eating kiwi with peel. Only those who do not know how to peel a kiwi, or those who are too lazy to peel it, eat it along with the peel, studiously ignoring the brown hairy skin. There are even special eating tools - a small spoon with a sharp blade on the other end.
But still, can you eat the peel? Can!
The peel is absolutely edible and, moreover, it contains a lot of useful substances, especially if we are talking about Quivigno, a variety bred in Spain. Kivinho is smooth, without hairs, and the fruits themselves are the size of a cherry.
The skin contains more antioxidants than the soft part. It has antiseptic properties and prevents harmful bacteria from spreading in the stomach. Before eating, wash the fruit thoroughly. Not everyone can eat kiwi with peel. People with sensitive mucous membranes should still clean it before use. Even the pulp itself, due to its sour taste, can irritate the mucous membranes, but the tongue can also hurt from the skin.
How to properly peel kiwi in three ways:
- Using a serrated knife or a paring knife. Hold the fruit in your hand firmly and confidently. Place the knife blade towards the top. Lightly press the skin and pry it off with a knife. Using smooth movements, remove the peel as you would peel a potato. Don't plunge the knife too deep, or you'll cut off too much of the delicious flesh. You should not use a straight knife; a knife with teeth is better for cleaning;
- Using a tablespoon. Place a spoon under the skin of the fruit. Usually a tablespoon is ideal for peeling the fruit. Pressing the kiwi a little, turn it in your hand. When the spoon makes a full circle, the kiwi will simply fall out into your hands;
- Pour boiling water over it. Boil enough water to completely cover the fruit. Throw it into boiling water and keep it there for 25-30 seconds. Remove and rinse with cold water. After the fruit has cooled, simply remove the skin; it will peel off easily. Don't throw overripe fruit into the water, you'll just end up with mush. Although it can be used in a dish as jam.
Be careful, follow safety precautions, choose the right fruits and enjoy the wonderful taste and abundance of vitamins!
Kiwi is an exotic fruit with an indescribable taste. Because of its amazing resemblance to potatoes, people nicknamed it “hairy potatoes.” In fact, this fruit got its name from the little kiwi bird, because it is a little similar in shape and with its “hairs” on the skin. The inside of the fruit is soft and greenish in color. Despite the abundance of seeds, the pulp of the fruit has a very pleasant and delicate taste.
Kiwi selection
It is better to buy ripe kiwi (if you do not plan to store it for a long time). The ripe fruit is slightly soft to the touch, but elastic. When the fruit is too soft and crushes when pressed lightly, it means it is overripe, and it is better not to buy such fruit. There should also be no dents on it. The unripe fruit is hard to the touch. If you bought such a kiwi, don’t be upset, you just need to put it in a dark and warm place, and it will quickly ripen.
Beneficial features
Kiwi has a beneficial effect on the human heart and blood vessels, and on the gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, for people who have diseases of the cardiovascular system and also have a tendency to high blood pressure, this is an irreplaceable fruit. It also helps with heartburn. Many nutritionists include kiwi in weight loss diets. In cosmetology, this fruit is used as part of toning, rejuvenating and moisturizing masks. It perfectly tightens, refreshes and moisturizes dry and weakened skin of the face and décolleté.
How to clean kiwi and is it cleaned at all?
Peeling the skin from a kiwi is not difficult, although it is edible and the fruit can be eaten directly with it. You can also eat this fruit with pleasure by cutting it in half and scooping out the juicy pulp from the halves using a dessert spoon. If you need kiwi to decorate the table or you just want to present it to guests in a beautiful way, then you will have to peel it. There are two ways to do this. The simplest thing is to peel the fruit like a potato, cutting the skin into a thin spiral or strip.
If you need a perfectly even, smoothly peeled fruit, then use the second method. For this you will need a spoon and a knife. The size of the spoon should be suitable for the fruit, so it is better to take a tablespoon, although a tea spoon is also suitable for small kiwis. First you need to cut off the unnecessary ends (tips). Then carefully insert a spoon between the fruit and the skin and slowly turn the fruit. This way we carefully separate the pulp from the skin. Then carefully squeeze the fruit onto a plate and cut into slices. For this method, the kiwi must be moderately ripe, and not overripe or, on the contrary, “green”.
Knowing how to peel kiwi, you will no longer pass by the counter with it in a supermarket or market, but will treat yourself to a truly exotic and healthy fruit.
Today it is no longer a curiosity. We tried and appreciated the exotic. There are no problems with the pulp, but the peel of the berry baffles many. What to do with it? It’s a shame to throw it away, especially for practical people. After all, lemon or orange goes into action.
The question of whether it is possible to eat kiwi with the peel still gives rise to controversy.
When deciding whether or not to eat the whole berry, it is worth remembering that kiwi peel is a source of many useful substances. According to the main parameters, it is healthier than pulp.
The main advantages of the peel:
- It is saturated with folic acid (vitamin B9) - there is a third more substance here than in pulp. Without this vitamin, normal fetal development is problematic, so it is a must for pregnant women in the diet. For others, it is a nutrient that helps blood formation, improves performance and overall mood.
- The peel contains various vitamins, minerals, most of all E and C. These are antioxidants: they neutralize free radicals, slowing down aging. Plus potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. The peel contains three quarters of the total amount. In terms of the percentage of ascorbic acid, the peel of the fruit is ahead of the orange, and in potassium - .
- It is a natural antiseptic. Substances from the fruit, especially the peel, destroy bacteria and accelerate the healing of cuts or wounds. This is how the ancient Chinese used the peel.
- The peel has a high fiber content (70-75% of the total amount in the fruit). This nutrient lowers cholesterol, inhibiting the development of cardiovascular diseases. Valuable for dieters: the abundance of fiber cleanses the gastrointestinal tract and helps digestion. It has a mild laxative effect.
- Science has established that the peel helps cure dysbacteriosis and destroys staphylococcal bacillus.
The substances in the peel are useful not only as a medicinal component or nutrition, but also aesthetically. This is an effective facial scrub. Gently wipe the face with freshly peeled exotic skin, allow to dry and rinse with water.
How to eat kiwi with skin
The unpeeled fruit can be eaten in different ways. But ripe specimens are very soft, so care is required with any cleaning method:
- Like a cucumber or an apple. That is, bite off pieces from the fruit. You can cut it in half by biting off half. The main thing is to make sure that the juice of the berries does not get on your clothes.
- With a spoon. An elegant spoon with a thin tip or a special knife spoon will do. The fruits are cut in half or thoroughly cut from above. It turns out like a glass filled with pulp. They take it out with a spoon and eat it. The most convenient way: the juice does not leak out and does not go where it is not needed. The method is approved by etiquette and aesthetes.
- In pieces. If there are not enough spoons, the fruit is cut into circles with peel and placed on a dish. They come with skewers or personal forks to transfer the piece to a plate.
The fruits of the Spanish kivinho variety are eaten only unpeeled. They are soft, smooth, without the slightest lint, and are the size of a large gooseberry.
When inviting guests to kiwi, remember that not everyone likes to eat the berry with the skin on. Therefore, it is better to peel some of the fruits.
How else to eat kiwi
It is healthy and pleasant to eat fresh fruit. But what to cook with kiwi if you want variety? The fruit is able to update the usual diet.
Kiwi dishes range from meat to desserts. Here's what you can prepare:
- Fresh kiwi will turn your usual cocktail, fruit salad or other dessert into an exotic treat.
- The property of its acids to break down protein is used when marinating meat. The process is accelerated, even if it is tough. Plus, kiwi imparts an exotic aroma and taste with a slight sourness to the meat.
- However, this rate of protein breakdown is detrimental to dairy products. Therefore, kiwi pulp is added to yoghurts, desserts or other products with milk immediately before consumption. Otherwise, the milk will become bitter, and it will be impossible to eat such a dish.
- Kiwi jam is made by mixing exotic pulp and sugar. You can grind the peel and add crushed nuts. The mass is brought to a boil and cooled. And so three times.
- Kiwi has good compatibility with banana or. A popular dish is the kiwi-banana smoothie. Ingredients: one banana, kiwi (pieces), a glass of milk, a teaspoon of honey - a teaspoon or a tablespoon. Beat with a blender.
- But smoothies are also prepared from exotic fruits with ordinary fruits. For three kiwis you will need 150 ml of water, one and a half sweet apples, one and a half tablespoons of lemon or lime juice, a bunch of herbs (mint, basil or others). Apples and exotics are peeled and pitted, and the pieces are placed in a blender. Add water, juice, crushed herbs, mix.
Pieces of exotic fruit, smeared with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon, treat persistent cough. It is especially useful to eat it in the off-season.
Kiwi peel is used ground as a culinary ingredient. Its sourness successfully complements sweet dishes. Eating them is easier and more enjoyable.
How to properly process kiwi before eating
Those who decide to eat exotic fruit unpeeled are faced with questions: how to protect and soften the skin of kiwi, what to do with the fluff on the fruit. These problems can be solved.
Why is processing needed?
Modern agronomic technologies involve the use of superdoses of pesticides and herbicides. Fortunately, kiwi fruits hardly absorb them. However, the fruit is not particularly durable, so it is often exported with processed peel.
It is advisable to buy organic exotics. They are sold by eco-shops, supermarkets, and markets. Such fruits are identified by the Bio or “eco” label. But these are isolated cases.
When buying regular kiwis, you need to choose only undamaged specimens: the whole peel inhibits the penetration of harmful substances into the pulp of the fruit.
Disinfect the peel
To rid the kiwi peel of unnecessary components, it is washed correctly. Experts advise doing this twice: first under warm running water, then rubbing with a brush.
You can keep the fruit in water for four to five hours. The effects of treatment with herbicides and other similar substances are neutralized.
Removing kiwi hairs
You can remove hairs from the fruit in the following way:
- cut off the area around the former stalk of the exotic fruit (not to the pulp);
- place the fruit under a powerful stream of water;
- turn it so that the fluff comes off from the entire surface;
- at the same time rub the exotic skin with the dense side of the sponge (without fanaticism);
- Rinse off remaining fluffiness with water.
You can remove hairs with the back of a knife.
Sometimes it is enough to thoroughly wipe the washed fruits with a towel or fruit brush, and then eat.
Softening the skin
The peel of kiwi is dense, chewing and eating it is problematic. Villi can cause irritation or injury to the oral mucosa. To soften it, the pieces are poured with mineral water. Leave for two to three hours.
5 ways to peel kiwi
The skin of the fruit is not thick, but it is not easy to clean due to the softness and slippery surface of the exotic fruit. Therefore, it is better to buy slightly hard specimens.
There are several ways to clean exotic:
- Peeler. It is used similarly to peeling apples, potatoes, and other root vegetables. The thin blade removes the skin with minimal loss of pulp. The exotic is held tightly in the hand, pressing it against the blade of the knife. Then the peeled skin will be transparent. Clean from top to bottom with “ribbons”.
- Blanching. Pour boiling water over the fruits for 15-20 seconds. Remove and cool slightly. The peel is removed with a minimum of pulp or completely clean. At the same time, the fruit is disinfected. But the percentage of nutrients is decreasing.
- Using a glass. The exotic is cut in half crosswise. Place the cut surface on the glass so that it rests against the edge. Press so that the pulp is inside and the peel is outside. Then the procedure is repeated with the second part of the exotic. The method is used if kiwi pulp is required as an ingredient in salads, jellies or other dishes. That is, not directly on the table. If you don't have a glass, a thin-walled glass will do. How quickly the fruit can be peeled using this method depends on skill and experience.
- How to clean with a spoon. The ends of the kiwi are cut off on both sides. Take the fruit with one hand, and a teaspoon with the other. The spoon is carefully placed under the peel. Then she remains in place, and the fetus moves. You need to make sure that the spoon does not sink into the pulp, but remains close to the peel. When a full turn has been made, the spoon is pulled out, the fruit is placed on the surface, and the peel is cut from top to bottom. If everything is done correctly, the surface of the kiwi will be smooth and aesthetically pleasing. There is no shame in putting such fruit cut up on the table.
- You can use an ice cream scoop. A method for preparing decorations for baked goods or cocktails. The exotic is cut in half and a ball is pulled out of the pulp. Not very economical, but original.
A variety of methods allows you to find the best option so that the problem of how to peel kiwi does not become an obstacle to the consumption of exotic fruit.
Who should not eat kiwi with peel?
For kiwi, especially with peel, the contraindications are similar to most tropical exotics. That is, individual intolerance (allergy) or increased stomach acidity. Plus inflammatory processes in the mouth.
Whether children can eat kiwi peel is determined by the pediatrician observing the child.
Conclusion
Exotic is an indisputable element of a healthy diet. You can simply enjoy its pulp.
Kiwi with peel brings benefits and harm depending on specific circumstances. The exotic skin is rich in useful substances, but is difficult to process.
Whether to eat the fruit with the peel or throw it away is up to everyone to decide for themselves. It’s good for everyone to try it at least once to experience new taste sensations.
Kiwi fruits are small, hairy, have a wonderful taste, in the pulp you can easily detect notes of strawberries, melon, banana, and pineapple. We are already accustomed to eating fresh kiwi, adding it to salads and meat dishes. But in countries where kiwi is grown, jams, jellies, and desserts are made from it.
Kiwi is often called Chinese gooseberry. Indeed, the birthplace of kiwi is China, it is the fruit of the tree-like vine Actinidia. But they cultivated it, made it popular throughout the world, and gave it the name “kiwi” by New Zealand breeders.
New Zealander Alexander Ellison in the 30s of the last century brought vine seeds from China, which amazed him with the beauty of the flowers. The fruits of the vine did not arouse interest because they were tasteless and tough. Breeders began cultivating the plant and thirty years later, as a result of grafting and pruning, they received a plant with fluffy fruits that combine many of the tastes of well-known plants. The new plant grew very quickly, rising 20 centimeters per day, and every three days new fruits ripened, weighing up to 100g. The fluffy fruit was very similar to the small New Zealand kiwi bird - the symbol of the country. That's what they started calling him. Modern breeders are working on developing kiwi with red flesh.
What causes the interest and attachment of residents of northern latitudes to kiwi. Apparently, it is high in vitamin C; there is more of it in kiwi than in lemon. And of course amazing taste.
The benefits of kiwi for our body are beyond doubt and we go to buy a basket of fragrant, shaggy fruits. What you need to know when buying kiwi. Ripe fruits should be soft, but not very soft. If the fruit is very soft to the touch, then it is overripe and will soon spoil. If the kiwi is hard, then it is unripe. It needs to be wrapped in paper or simply protected from direct sunlight, and it will ripen quickly.
Today there are 30 varieties of kiwi. The main producer of kiwi is Italy. New Zealand follows. In these countries, kiwi consumption is the highest; in Spain, on average, each resident eats 4 kg per year, in New Zealand - 3.5 kg.
Looking at the shaggy fruit, you involuntarily think about how to eat it, how to quickly peel a kiwi. Of course, the easiest way out is to peel it like a potato, remove the skin in a circle, but at the same time, a lot of tasty juice is wasted. Some people resort to using a special knife to peel potatoes, but if the fruit is ripe, it is difficult to peel it this way. Then they cut it into slices, and most of the vitamin C we need disappears when it comes into contact with metal.
Another way to save vitamins is how to quickly peel kiwi. Although in this case it is not peeled, but simply cut into two parts and eaten with a spoon. This is a convenient method, the juice remains in the kiwi halves and does not spread over your hands, from the outside the person looks cultured and aesthetically pleasing. But unripe kiwi is so difficult to eat, so it is better to peel it. To quickly and easily enjoy kiwi, a special device was invented, with a small knife at one end and a spoon at the other.
There are people who, out of laziness or in an effort to get the maximum benefit from the product, do not ask themselves how to quickly peel kiwi. They eat it with the skin. Indeed, the peel is edible. A special variety, Quivigno, with small, smooth fruits, was developed in Spain. They have no villi and are no larger than a grape.
Kiwi peel contains more antioxidants than pulp; it is an excellent antiseptic and kills harmful bacteria in the stomach. Of course, you need to wash it very thoroughly before eating. If you immediately want to try peeled kiwi, don’t rush. This should not be done by those with sensitive mucous membranes. The sourish pulp irritates the mucous membrane, and even chewing the fleecy skin can cause a sore tongue. In addition, you can find yourself in an awkward position and look like a savage in public if the rules of etiquette stipulate that you peel the kiwi and eat only the pulp.
How to quickly peel kiwi, the most interesting way. Try it yourself and show it to your children, they will love how the kiwi itself jumps out of the peel and sheds its shaggy coat. Take a cutting board, a sharp knife and a tablespoon or dessert spoon. Cut a little at the base and on the opposite side. We place a dessert spoon or a tablespoon under the skin and move under it in a circle. When the spoon makes a circle, the peel will separate from the pulp. We take out the spoon and lightly squeeze the kiwi, and the pulp pops out on its own. Have time to set up the plate.
Use of kiwi in cooking.
Kiwi is served with white meats, seafood, and fish. Delicious sauces are prepared on its basis, and it is a common ingredient in salads. Due to its bright color, it is often used to decorate cakes and ice cream.
Prepare a festive salad of kiwi and crab sticks, it is very original and easy to prepare. The products in it combine well and are completely compatible. The salad is quite filling and does not contain expensive ingredients. To prepare it you will need: 250g crab sticks, two hard-boiled eggs, three kiwis, a can of canned corn, green onions. For dressing: three teaspoons of mustard and mayonnaise.
Crab sticks are cut and mixed with mustard and mayonnaise. This is the first layer of lettuce; it is placed in a salad bowl. Next comes a layer of corn, it is also covered with mustard and mayonnaise, then a layer of chopped green onions, it is smeared with mustard and mayonnaise, and covered with diced kiwi. All that remains is to peel the eggs, grate them on a fine grater and add the last layer. Before serving, place the salad in the refrigerator for several hours.
The use of kiwi in cosmetology.
Kiwi is added to masks for different skin types as a component rich in vitamins and promoting whitening. Quickly peel the kiwi, add a teaspoon of poppy seeds, crush the kiwi and make a homogeneous mixture. Lightly massaging your face with your fingers, apply the mask to your face for 10-15 minutes. Wash off the mask with massaging movements using cool water. This nourishing mask is suitable for any skin type.
