Kiwi Peeling in 4 Easy Steps!
By Alice Osborne
A kiwi (also known as the Chinese Gooseberry) is one of the healthiest fruits we can eat. Yet many people don't. The common excuse for this is that "they're too hard to peel." Well no more - we can cross that hang-up off our list. Here's an easy way to peel a kiwi:
Take a knife and barely cut the top stem area off.
Grab one of your kitchen spoons and wedge it between the skin and flesh of the kiwi.
Slowly rotate the kiwi and lift the skin away from the flesh.
Press the spoon up toward the flesh as you rotate the kiwi. You should be able to peel the entire kiwi in one easy rotation.
When done, just cut the kiwi in half and slice away.
We ought to be eating kiwi several times a week. They're inexpensive, convenient, and super healthy. Nutrition-wise, they contain about as much potassium as bananas, and two fresh kiwi fruit supply more than an entire day's worth of vitamin C. We'll also get as much fiber as is found in two slices of 100% whole-wheat bread, as well as a good dose of folate, magnesium, vitamin K, and copper.
And a series of studies published by the Archives of Ophthalmology have proven that consuming 3 or more servings of fruit per day (especially KIWI fruits) can reduce by 36% the risk of developing an eye-related disease called ARMD (the primary cause of vision impairment in adults). Eating kiwi fruit is clearly a healthy choice, and is particularly useful in:
• Preventing Asthma
• Preventing wheezing and coughing, especially in children
• Protecting our DNA from mutations
• Providing a healthy amount of antioxidants and vitamins
• Helping prevent colon cancer (thanks to the high fiber content)
I buy bag-fuls when they're on sale and puree the fruit. It freezes well - it makes wonderful popsicles. I also pour the puree into ice cube trays and when the fruit is frozen, I pop it out and store it in plastic zip-lock bags. These cubes make the BEST flavored mineral water - I call it "legal" soda pop! I also toss them into my green smoothies. And when pureed with fresh strawberries, it makes the most delicious fruit leather. Finally, I know folks that like to add kiwi chunks to their fruit salsa!
