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Due to a clever marketing move by New Zealand exporters in the 1950s the Kiwifruit is thought by many to have originated from New Zealand, home to the famed flightless bird the Kiwi. In fact this delicious fruit originates from China, where it is known as yáng táo (sunny peach) or mahout tao.
Today it is commercially grown in both of the above countries, although countries such as Italy grow more of the fruit than either country. The fruit has a unique flavour and is often considered one of the super fruits because of its all-round nutritional value.
How it got to New Zealand
The fruit (or more accurately edible berry) was first introduced to New Zealand at the beginning of the 20th century, when a missionary returned to her home country after visiting missions in China. New Zealanders thought that the fruit tasted like gooseberry, hence why they first referred to it as the Chinese Gooseberry.
According to food historians the first seed to be planted in NZ was in 1906 and the first fruit was harvested four years later. The first export from NZ was to England in 1952.
In 1958 the NZ growers briefly changed the name to "melonette", but changed the name to "kiwi" once they learnt of the steep tariffs the US had on melons. The same year the first exports were sent to California. It took the California fruit growers until 1970 before they were harvesting their own.
Most New Zealand kiwifruits are marketed under the brand-name label Zespri, which some consider a move to distinguish NZ kiwifruit from fruit produced by other countries, as the name "kiwi" was not trademarked. New Zealand can claim the golden variety as its own. In 1991, an orchid owned by New Zealand based HortResearch developed the variety, which originally had the appetising name of "Hort16A"!
The leading producers today are Italy, New Zealand, Chile, France, Greece, Japan and the US. China does cultivate the fruit but in much smaller quantities then the other countries.
Good for You
The fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, up to two times as much as an orange. It is a good source of vitamin E, contains Vitamin A and has almost as much potassium as banana. The skin is a good source of antioxidants and as many of the vitamins are stored just under the skin, eating it with the skin greatly increases the amount consumed. It is high in dietary fibre.
Kiwifruit also serves as a natural blood thinner, when consuming 2-3 fruit daily, working in a similar way to aspirin - reducing the risk of clots, and lowering fat in the blood that can cause blockages.
It also contains a protein-dissolving enzyme actinidin, which acts as a tenderiser of meat, but some can be allergic, specifically, people with an allergy to latex, papayas or pineapples.
Kiwifruit is also one of the best natural sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which protect against degeneration of the eye.
Buying, Storing, Eating
The most common kiwifruit are oval, and about the size of a large hen's egg. It has a fibrous, dull brown-green skin and green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. Select firm, unblemished fruit; it is ripe when you press it with your thumb and it gives to pressure. The fruit will keep for several days at room temperature and for several weeks in the fridge.
Golden Kiwi has a smooth, bronze skin, and distinctive golden yellow flesh, and are less tart with a more tropical flavour than the green variety. The skin of both varieties is edible.
It is quite common to see kiwi sold with a knife/spoon, allowing you to remove the skin and eat, or cut the top off and eat it like a boiled egg. As you read above it is probably best just to wash carefully and eat it skin and all. It can also be sliced and diced etc for adding to dishes.
A classic, and cliched use is as a topping for Pavlova and while it makes a great addition to desserts and fruit salads it also works with savoury dishes. It pairs well with fish, especially the golden variety, and also chicken, and can be used cold in the place of any dishes calling for chilled tomatoes.
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