Kiwifruit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kiwi |
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| Kiwifruit (cv Hayward), shown whole and in section | |
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A. deliciosa
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| Actinidia deliciosa C.F.Liang.& A.R.Ferguson.
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The kiwifruit (scientific name: Actinidia deliciosa) is a yummy fruit. It has an oval shape. Inside, it's bright green with tiny black seeds that you can eat. The kiwi's skin is brown and fuzzy. You can eat the skin, but most people peel it off because of its texture.
Kiwifruit originally comes from South China. In 2017, China grew half of all the kiwifruit in the world!
This fruit got its name in 1959. It was named after the kiwi, a special bird that is a symbol of New Zealand. Before that, its English name was "Chinese gooseberry."
Kiwifruit is super healthy for you. It's packed with many vitamins and minerals. Kiwis have lots of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and fiber. Did you know a kiwi has even more vitamin C than an orange of the same size?
There are different kinds of kiwifruit. The most common green type is called Hayward. Other types include Chico and Saanichton 12. There's also a golden kiwifruit, which is sweeter than the green ones. Golden kiwifruit were created by carefully grafting and cross-pollinating different kiwi plants.
History of Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit first grew in the wild in central and eastern China. People first wrote about kiwifruit in China way back in the 12th century. This was during the Song dynasty.
For a long time, people mostly picked kiwifruit from the wild. They used it as a medicine. Because of this, the plant was not often grown on farms or specially bred.
In the early 1900s, kiwifruit plants were brought from China to New Zealand. This is where the first large farms for kiwifruit started. During World War II, soldiers from Britain and America in New Zealand really liked the fruit. After the war, kiwifruit was sent to other countries. It first went to Great Britain and then to California in the 1960s.
How People Eat Kiwifruit
You can enjoy kiwifruit in many ways! You can eat it fresh and raw. People also make it into juices or use it in baked goods. It can even be served with meat or used to make food look pretty. As we mentioned, the whole fruit, including the skin, is safe to eat. But many people prefer to remove the skin because of its texture.
For a long time, slices of kiwifruit have been used to decorate whipped cream on a dessert called pavlova. This dessert is made from meringue. In China, kiwifruit was traditionally seen as a medicine. It was given to children to help them grow strong. It was also given to women after they had a baby to help them recover.
Raw kiwifruit has a special helper called actinidain. This is an enzyme that can help make meat softer. It might also help with digestion. However, this enzyme means you can't use raw kiwifruit in desserts with milk or other dairy products. The actinidain will break down the milk proteins. This also happens with gelatin desserts. The enzyme will dissolve the gelatin, making the dessert runny instead of firm.
Sometimes, the actinidain in kiwifruit can cause an allergic reaction in some people, including kids. The most common signs are an itchy or sore mouth. A more serious sign can be wheezing, which is trouble breathing. In rare cases, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis can happen.
Images for kids
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Kiwifruit cross section
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Golden kiwifruit with a red-ring
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The larger A. deliciosa (fuzzy kiwifruit) at the rear compared to the smaller kiwi berry
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Golden kiwifruit Soreli
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Kiwifruit growing on supported vine
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Kiwifruit flowering
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See also
In Spanish: Kiwi para niños
