Kiwis: February Produce of the Month

Hi Bulls!

Love is in the air. For this month’s produce, I chose one of my favorites that I love to eat, the kiwi! Kiwis originated in China where they are known by their Chinese name yang tao or “strawberry peach”. They were brought to New Zealand by a school principal called Mary Fraser. New Zealanders renamed it a couple of times, but eventually landed on the name kiwi because of the fruit’s similarity to the New Zealand native bird, the kiwi! They get their beautiful emerald color from chlorophyll, a natural compound found in all plants that helps them conduct photosynthesis. There are other varieties of kiwi like the golden kiwi which is a saturated gold color on the inside. These are a little sweeter and don’t have fuzz on the outside, meaning you can eat them skin and all!

One kiwi can provide over 100% of your daily vitamin C needs! Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight free radicals and enhance your immune system. A kiwi can also provide almost half of your vitamin K requirements. Vitamin K is essential in healthy blood cell formation and blood clotting. Kiwis are a good source of fiber, especially if you eat them with the skin (yes, you can eat the fuzzy skin!). Try blending them in a smoothie if you don’t like the idea of biting into a whole one.

Kiwis can be enjoyed by themselves (who can resist the fun color and symmetry of those seeds?) or with other fruits in a fruit salad. Cut the top off and eat it with a spoon. Toss it in a smoothie with strawberries and mango! Or even try making a sweet and tart jam with it. For more recipe ideas, check out the recipe section of the Produce of the Month page!