History
Originally referred to as Chinese Gooseberries or Yang Tao, kiwifruit was first cultivated in Chang Kiang Valley of China approximately 700 years ago. Kiwifruit was first exported from China to the United States in 1904, but it was not until 1935 when kiwifruit was grown for commercial use in the U.S. A man by the name of Carl Heinke was the first to grow commercially-available kiwi in Paradise, California. He planted nine Chinese Gooseberry vines next to his grape vineyard and watched his Chinese Gooseberries grow successfully in the warm climate. California has since become the largest producer of kiwifruit in the U.S., producing 95 percent of all kiwifruit consumed in the U.S, with New Zealand making up the other 5 percent.
Before California became a large cultivator of kiwifruit, New Zealand was already exporting kiwi to the U.S. In fact, back in 1961, Trader Vic’s in San Francisco was the first restaurant to serve kiwifruit on its menu. Kiwifruit experienced a surge of popularity in the 1980’s and has since remained a popular fruit.
Nutrition
In a study conducted at Rutgers University, scientists found that kiwifruit is the most nutrient dense of all fruits, with papaya, mango, and oranges falling right behind. Kiwifruit contains the highest amounts of magnesium and vitamin C than any other fruit – containing approximately double the vitamin C of an orange! Furthermore, kiwi, papaya, and apricots outweigh the banana in terms of potassium levels. Kiwifruit is also a good source of vitamin E, which is a difficult vitamin to obtain from the diet. Unlike many other fruits, kiwi is available year round because of California’s late fall harvest and New Zealand’s summer harvest.
Adapted from California KiwiFruit Commission
Selection & Storage
To select the best-tasting kiwi, hold the kiwifruit between your thumb and forefinger and apply gentle pressure to the fruit. A perfectly ripe kiwi should yield to the pressure just enough to make a small dent. An overripe kiwi will yield too much to thumb pressure, and an under ripe kiwi will not yield enough.
Ripe, ready-to-eat kiwi can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When stored in the refrigerator, be sure the kiwi is stored away from other fruits and vegetables because they release ethylene gas which can speed up the ripening process and cause the kiwi to become overripe. If you purchase under ripe kiwi, they can quickly ripen within a few days by placing them at room temperature inside a brown bag with an apple, banana, or pear to speed up the process.
Adapted from The World’s Healthiest Foods
Nutrient Analysis for 1 Kiwifruit: calories: 46, fat: <1g, cholesterol: 0mg, protein: 1g, carbohydrates: 11g, sodium: 4mg, fiber: 3g