The Amazing Kiwi

Did you know now is the time to enjoy kiwi? Kiwi are best in the winter and spring. Even I didn't know that till I started poking around the California Kiwifruit Commission website. I have to admit, it's a great website. Here are some fun nutrition tidbits about kiwifruit. The only thing I don't know is if all this information assumes you eat the skin. The furry skin kinda creeps me out, but it's edible and when you eat the skin of almost any fruit you get more nutrients.

* Vitamin C: Each serving of kiwifruit has nearly two-and-a-half times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
* Fiber: Two kiwifruit contain more fiber than a bowl of bran cereal, the tasty way to maintain heart health, regular digestion and lower cholesterol. This is only if you eat the skin!
* Potassium: A serving of California Kiwifruit has more potassium than a banana.
* Antioxidants: Kiwifruit is an excellent source of antioxidants which are important in reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
* Magnesium: Two kiwifruit deliver 30 mg of magnesium.
* Folate: With nearly 10% of the recommended daily value of folate, kiwifruit is a good way to protect the health of mother and baby during pregnancy while helping prevent birth defects.
* Zinc: Men will appreciate kiwifruit's zinc content, which helps produce testosterone, while everyone can enjoy its other benefits like healthy hair, skin, teeth and nails.Really, I haven't seen the evidence for this, but it's still kinda fun.

Looks to me like kiwi is pretty power packed in the nutrient world!

So my favorite part about the California Kiwi Commission is that you can get a free kiwi slooper spoon. These are a MUST for kiwi eaters! This makes kiwi more fun to eat every single time and I love keeping my kiwi spoon in my lunch box. One side is a knife so you can cut your kiwi in half. Keep a napkin or paper towel close by! Kiwi are juicy little buggers. The other side is a spoon so you can scoop out the insides to eat. All in one convenient little tool. LOVE IT! Go here to get your own for free. Free is good! Poke around the website a bit. I recommend watching the video. I learned a lot. Did you know it's a berry? Did you know it grows on a vine?

This is the first post of my fruit and vegetable campaign. I'll post more soon about the rational behind my plea. We all need to be getting more fruits and vegetables and let's face it...the slooper spoon adds an element of convenience to the whole 5-a-day idea. Although I like the More Matters campaign even better. More friends...eat more fruits and vegetables!