Kiwi-licious!

MANILA, Philippines – Some have likened it to our local chico, but only because of its brown fuzzy skin. The kiwi fruit is more elongated, usually about two to three inches long. Its green flesh has a somewhat creamy consistency and a unique tangy taste. Most likely, you’ve noticed it appearing more frequently lately in the fruit section of your supermarket. Chances are, you might even have tried it. A new variety, the gold kiwi fruit, is now also available. “The gold variety has a tropical sweet taste which children love,” said Daniel Mathieson, market manager for South East Asia of Zespri International. “Its golden yellow flesh is encased in smooth brown skin with a distinctive tapered crown.”

The kiwi fruit was named after the flightless kiwi bird that’s endemic to New Zealand. Ironically, the kiwi is not native to New Zealand. It originated from China where it was known as yang tao. “In 1904, Isabel Fraser, a Waitangi teacher, brought the succulent fruit’s tiny black seeds from China back to New Zealand where horticulturist Alexander Allison planted the seeds and grew the first vines,” Mathieson related. For a time, it was called Chinese gooseberry. As the industry grew, kiwi fruit was eventually adopted as the name of the novelty fruit that resembled the odd-looking kiwi bird.   “The story of the kiwi fruit is a lesson in innovation,” New Zealand ambassador Andrew Matheson remarked. “It was an unknown fruit that was not even originally from New Zealand. But our horticulturists worked and continue to work to develop and improve the quality of our kiwi fruit.”

The Hayward cultivar, named after the gifted horticulturist Hayward Wright, thrived in New Zealand’s idyllic clean and green environment, aided by the rich volcanic soil and mild climate at the Bay of Plenty, the heart of New Zealand’s kiwi fruit industry.

“Today, New Zealand is one of the world’s biggest producers and leading kiwi fruit marketer,” Mathieson noted. “We export to over 60 countries worldwide under the Zespri label, which is 100 percent owned by the thousands of kiwi fruit growers in the country who enjoy the government’s support. They have banded together, determined to keep improving the top quality of our kiwi fruit.”

Did you know that a kiwi contains as much potassium as a banana, the same amount of vitamin E normally found in three apples, and twice the amount of vitamin C found in an orange? “It is packed with nutrients,” respected consulting clinical and sports nutritionist, Dr. Sanirose S. Orbeta, MS, RD, FADA, noted. “Two kiwis a day are enough to meet your daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and helps prevent coronary diseases.”
The kiwi is high in folate, which helps improve cognitive performance. Folate is also good for pregnant and lactating mothers and their babies. Kiwi fruit is naturally high in antioxidants that provide protection against damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber. “Fiber acts as a sweeper. It aids in weight loss. It increases fat excretion and improves insulin sensitivity,” Dr. Orbeta explained. Fiber can also reduce high cholesterol levels. Kiwi fruit has a low glycemic index (GI). It makes fat easier to burn and less likely to be stored.

The kiwi is considered one of the healthiest fruits. It is low in sugar, salt, calories and fat. “It is a nutrient rich fruit with plenty of health benefits,” Dr. Orbeta said. “It has great taste and flavor. Some might say it’s an acquired taste. It’s easy to carry. It’s a small fruit with a big punch.” This should be welcome news for all those fitness and wellness advocates out there. They are a growing breed, deliberately making lifestyle changes and choosing to live healthy. Having fruit for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack are just some of the easy ways by which you can get your recommended five portions of fruit a day. Variety is encouraged. If you haven’t tried it yet, the kiwi fruit is an excellent addition to your fruit bowl. As a rule of thumb, the deeper the color, the better. To paraphrase Jeffrey Steingarten of The Man Who Ate Everything fame, a ripe fruit’s reason for being is to be eaten.

What’s great about most fruits is that they’re best eaten raw. No fuss.

In this regard, the kiwi fruit is no exception. Everything can be eaten, including its skin and seeds. No need to cook. But, as Chef Wendel Briones of The Stock Market at Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City demonstrated, using it as an ingredient in certain dishes works well, too. Chef Wendel came up with a special menu, incorporating the kiwi fruit in various ways into the different dishes he created, as well as in the green and gold kiwi fruit lemonade made with fresh kiwi juice, lemon juice and club soda.

For starters, there was the refreshing Mesclun greens and mint salad with candid walnuts drizzled with Zespri gold kiwi fruit vinaigrette. Next came the butter-poached John Dory fillet with Zespri green kiwi fruit chutney and gold kiwi fruit prosecco emulsion, which worked well with the delicate fish filet. The Zespri green kiwi fruit and passion fruit sorbet did its job of cleansing the palate, after which came the herb roasted chicken spiced with rosemary and thyme and served with green and gold kiwifruit ratatouille. For dessert, the typical Pinoy turon was reincarnated in the crisp green kiwi and banana fritters with Amaretto Crème Anglais. And as if that wasn’t enough, a slice of Zespri gold kiwi-lime Pie with fresh whipped cream and green kiwi fruit chips served as the sweet ending to the “kiwi-licious” gastronomic adventure.

For two weeks, starting June 15, The Stock Market will be serving more of these amazing kiwi-inspired dishes. Zespri green and Zespri gold kiwi fruit is also available in major supermarkets in Metro Manila.

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For more information, visit www.zespri.com.