Kiwi

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Kiwi Fruit

Overview:

Kiwis are surprisingly rich in vitamins and minerals, in particular Vitamin C, potassium and beta-carotene. Kiwis also are an excellent source of flavonoids (Health Benefits of Kiwi Fruit).

Benefits:

Studies published by the Archives of Ophthalmology have found that consuming kiwis along with other fruits can reduce the risk of developing ARMD (age related muscular degeneration) by 36% (Health Benefits of Kiwi). The high levels of Vitamin C, A, and E are responsible for protecting the muscles.

The high levels of Vitamins C, E and A also protect against free radicals in the body. Free radicals lead to inflammation in the body which causes a multitude of diseases including cancer and obesity.

Along with high levels of vitamins and minerals, kiwis also have a high fiber content containing 16% of the RDA for fiber (Hardy). The high fiber content can help to eliminated various diseases such as diabetes and colon cancer. Fiber also eliminated harmful toxins in the body. A high fiber diet also helps to lower cholesterol which reduces the risk of a heart attack.

Additional health benefits of kiwi include regulating heart beats, treating asthma, providing 5.5% of the RDA for calcium, 8% of the RDA for copper, 4% of the RDA for Iron, and 6% of the RDA for magnesium (Hardy). Kiwis also help maintain fluid balance and keep teeth, nails, and skin healthy.

Side Effects:

There are no known side effects for consuming kiwi.

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