Did you know that kiwi juice benefits are every bit as delicious as kiwi juice itself? And of course, kiwi juice is every bit as lovely looking as the beautiful kiwi, with its lustrous jade green flesh with speckles of black seeds.
But it’s not just aesthetics – this fuzzy fruit is one of the best fruits to juice when you’re looking to boost sweetness and flavor in a juice recipe without loading up on calories, making it the perfect ingredient when you’re juicing for weight loss.
Originally called Chinese gooseberries, kiwis were renamed as such when it came to be known as the national fruit of New Zealand. It is named after the kiwi bird, which flaunts the same shade of brown as the fruit’s outer skin and are also green on the inside (just kidding – checking to see if you’re still with me :))
Kiwis have a rich history and have been consumed for hundreds and hundreds of years. Archaeologists conducting digs in China’s Chang Kiang region have uncovered ancient medicinal scrolls that can be traced back to the Ming dynasty, which gave step-by-step instructions on how to prepare tea infused with kiwi fruit to help women regain strength after childbirth and boost a newborn’s resilience against diseases.
But as delicious as kiwi-infused tea sounds, it also seems like a lot of trouble to make. Especially when you can get all the health perks of kiwi simply by juicing it. Here are some of our favorite kiwi juice benefits – followed by recipes!
8 Kiwi Juice Benefits
Okay, all the above kiwi juice recipes are scrumptious but they have more going for them than making your tastebuds happy. Here are the perks of drinking kiwi juice!
Boosts digestion
You know how pineapples contain bromelain and papayas contain papain and both of us foods are super duper good for digestion? Yea, kiwi also ranks up there, thanks to actinidain, the enzyme found in kiwi that helps break down proteins in foods to make it easier for our intestines to gather nutrients from them.
This enzyme is so adept at what it does that kiwi is often used as a tenderizing agent for meats. Extra perks? Kiwis also help protect against digestive disorders. For starters, actinidain helps keep gastric acid levels in the stomach optimal to prevent painful ulcers. Studies have even shown that kiwi fruits help reduce symptoms of IBS and inflammatory bowel diseases, thanks to its rich antioxidant and fiber content.
Protects the gut
Speaking of fiber, you get a lot of soluble fiber with kiwi juice. Plus, kiwis are loaded with carotenoids and flavonoids that protect the colon from damage caused by harmful toxins. These compounds basically boost the ability of fiber to engulf toxic compounds, which set off various problems in the gastrointestinal and digestive tract if allowed to accumulate, and flush them out of the body.
This kiwi perk is very much beneficial to the colon since having high levels of fiber in the system slows down the wear and tear of the same and wards off the development of tumors that can turn into full-blown cancerous growth.
Improves immunity
Here’s a little known fact: kiwis are one of the richest sources of Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that fights free radical damage in your body and keeps your system resilient from disease. Just one little kiwi fruit is packing over 100% of your DV of Vitamin C. And it’s even got other crucial immune-boosting antioxidants like Vitamins A and E as well as over 20 vital nutrients.
Thanks to this, just a little bit of kiwi goes a long way toward boosting the immune system . One study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that just one to two kiwi fruits a day resulted in a significant decrease in internal oxidative damage.
Promotes healthy skin
Kiwi is rich in vitamins that are crucial for healthy skin, like Vitamin C which plays an important role in the formation of collagen in the body, helping to keep your skin supple and youthful.
But it doesn’t stop there – kiwi is also packing polysaccharides that are able to double collagen synthesis in the body!
Keeps your eyes sharp
A single kiwi fruit is loaded with phytochemicals called zeaxanthin and lutein that help keep the eyes strong and healthy. Based on medical tests, people who regularly consume foods that are high in zeaxanthin and lutein are less vulnerable to eye problems like cataracts, astigmatism, macular degeneration and even blurriness.
Healthy for your heart
Kiwi is one of the best fruits for your heart, thanks to its high potassium content which helps lower blood pressure and counteract sodium in the body.
There are also high amounts of dietary fiber in kiwis that help trap low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol and flush them out of the system. Uncontrolled bad cholesterol levels can eventually lead to atherosclerosis and similar conditions.
No wonder studies have found that people who have kiwi in their regular diets have triglyceride levels that are 15% lower than those who go kiwi-less.
Protects your DNA
Laboratory tests show that kiwis are packed with active flavonoids and carotenoids that are found to not just help prevent oxygen-related damage to the DNA in cells, but also stimulate them to repair themselves faster. By blocking oxidization in the DNA and staving off any possible damage, the body can easily metabolize essential nutrients and buff up its antioxidant defense.
Helps you sleep better
Here’s a unique kiwi juice benefit that will help you sleep better at night. Literally. You see, kiwi is quite rich in serotonin – you know, the happy hormone.
And this may be the reason why kiwi has been hailed for its sleep-aiding prowess. Serotonin has been shown to increase sleep time and improve sleep efficiency. Plus, it’s got benefits while you’re awake as well, with evidence pointing to serotonin as a great memory aid and depression fighter.
Those are some awesome health perks for such a yummy fruit. So what are you waiting for – go juice some kiwi!
3 Yum Kiwi Juice Recipes
It’s easy to prep and adds sweet, tangy flavor to any juice recipe – and all at a pretty low caloric cost. That makes kiwi a versatile juicing ingredient that you can use in most juice recipes. That being said, it does taste better in some combinations – here’s a few you’ll want to try!
Minty Kiwi Juice
When you’re feeling clogged and congested inside, sip on this juice to give your digestive system a helping hand:
- 2 kiwi fruits
- 2 green apples
- 1 cucumber
- 1 inch ginger
- 6 leaves of fresh mint
Kiwi is full of fiber and antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects on the stomach and boost bowel function. And both ginger and mint are well known for their soothing properties on the gut. This is the perfect juice recipe to soothe, nourish and give your guts a little TLC.
Sweet Green Kiwi Juice
Not so sure about green juice yet? Here’s a green kiwi juice recipe that’ll blow change your mind:
- 2 green apples
- 3 kiwi fruits, peeled
- 3 kale leaves
- 1 heart of romaine lettuce
- 1 cucumber
This is one of the gentlest green juices to get started with. It’s packing mineral-rich cucumber and nutrition-rich kale but thanks to the sweetness of apples and kiwis and the very water-y nature of romaine lettuce, this green juice recipe isn’t overwhelming at all. In fact, it’s a sheer pleasure to sip.
Berry Kiwi Juice
This is a super simple kiwi juice recipe that’s perfect to get your system going before breakfast:
- 4 cups strawberries
- 2 kiwi fruits
- 2 limes (peeled)
Delicious, easy to make and chock full of antioxidants!
