How to Choose Kiwi Fruit: Ripeness, Eating the Skin and Real Benefits (Video)

Transcript

Kiwi Picking Made Simple

Ever wonder how to pick the perfect kiwi and get the most out of it? Let’s walk through the basics, from choosing at the market to enjoying the skin and knowing the real benefits.

At a Glance

A quick snapshot: a ripe kiwi yields a gentle press near the stem, smells faintly sweet, and has smooth skin. Overripe fruit feels soft everywhere, shows wrinkling, and may smell a bit fermented. Hard kiwis can sit in the fridge for weeks, while ripe ones last one to two weeks.

Choosing Kiwi at the Market

When you’re at the stall, give the kiwi a gentle press near the stem with your thumb. A tiny give means it’s ready to eat; no give means it will need a few days at home. Choose fruit that looks plump and has smooth, unwrinkled skin, and steer clear of any bruises or wet patches that can turn the flesh sour.

Ripening Kiwi Fast or Slow

Kiwi loves ethylene, so tuck hard fruit in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple and leave it at room temperature for a couple of days. To keep them firm longer, store hard kiwis in the fridge away from other fruit. Once ripe, they’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for about one to two weeks.

Spotting Overripe or Spoiled Kiwi

An overripe kiwi feels soft all over, its skin is wrinkled, and the flesh can look watery and translucent. That’s still safe to eat if it smells normal, though it’s mushy. Discard any kiwi that shows mold, a fizzy or alcoholic odor, or brown, slimy flesh.

Eating the Kiwi Skin

Yes, the fuzzy skin is edible and adds a nice boost of fibre. Rinse the fruit under running water and rub it with a clean cloth or soft brush to remove most of the hairs, no soap needed. Slice off both ends, cut the kiwi into rounds, and enjoy skin and all. If the fuzz makes your mouth itch, just peel it off.

Real Kiwi Benefits

A medium green kiwi provides roughly a full day’s worth of vitamin C, about two grams of fibre, plus some vitamin K, vitamin E, and potassium, all for just 40-45 calories. Many people find that two kiwis a day gently eases constipation thanks to the fibre and water-holding properties. Kiwi also contains actinidin, an enzyme that helps break down protein, similar to bromelain in pineapple.

Kiwi used to be called "Chinese gooseberry". New Zealand exporters renamed it after their national bird.

Kiwi and Dengue Platelets

Every dengue season, kiwi prices jump because of the belief that it boosts platelets. There’s no reliable evidence that any fruit, including kiwi, raises platelet counts during dengue. The body’s platelets usually recover on their own as the illness passes. Still, kiwi is soft, juicy, and easy to eat when appetite is low, making it a comforting snack during recovery.

Quick Kiwi Recipes

Try a simple kiwi-banana smoothie: blend two ripe kiwis (skin on if washed well), a ripe banana, 200 ml milk or water, and a few mint leaves. Drink it straight away because the actinidin can turn dairy bitter if it sits. For a savory twist, dice kiwi with apple, add pomegranate seeds, a pinch of black salt and roasted cumin, squeeze lemon, and eat within fifteen minutes.

Kiwi on Skin Caution

Kiwi’s acidity and enzymes can sting the skin, so if you want to try a DIY mask, mash a teaspoon of kiwi flesh with a tablespoon of plain yogurt, apply for no more than ten minutes, then rinse with cool water. Always patch-test on the inner elbow for a day first, and avoid using it on broken skin, eczema, or active pimples.

Traditional View

Kiwi is a newer addition to South Asian kitchens, so it slots into the “cooling fruit” and “sick-bed fruit” categories alongside mosambi and anaar. It’s a gentle comfort food for someone who’s unwell and not eating, but it’s not a cure. If someone is weak, can’t keep fluids down, or has bleeding, severe belly pain, or drowsiness with fever, they need a doctor, regardless of the fruit on the table.

Allergy and Safety Tips

Kiwi allergy is fairly common among children and adults. Mild reactions include itching or tingling in the mouth, while swelling of the lips or throat, hives, or breathing trouble signal an emergency. People allergic to latex, birch pollen, or banana are more likely to react. Babies can be offered small, peeled, mashed portions from about six months, watching for any rash around the mouth.

Thanks for Watching

For more details, read the full post on thecareonline.com. Remember, this is general information, not medical advice.