Kiwi certainly has a unique look and taste to it. Often served in slices but found in a whole fruit, kiwi adds a little twist to a county whose staple fruits include strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and a few more.
So what does the kiwi taste like under the fuzzy green exterior? Do kids like it? How do you eat it? Isn’t it named the same as a bird?
Kiwi is generally described as a tangy fruit and draws comparisons to many other fruits at the same time. Learn more below!
It’s difficult to compare the kiwi to another fruit because there isn’t another fruit quite like it. There is a notable difference between an unriped kiwi and a ripened kiwi, so we’ll start there.
Ripened Kiwi
A ripened kiwi is most likely the way you would idealize how kiwi tastes like. The taste of a ripened kiwi is most similar to pineapple or banana in its sweetness. It feels bright and acidic and has a bit of tropical built in – which makes sense since it’s a tropical fruit.
Kiwi is a bit hard to compare to other fruits. It can taste to some like a blend of strawberries, pineapples, bananas, and others – it depends in part on what you’ve tasted before and the
An unripened kiwi is going to be more tart than sweet. While both unripened and ripened kiwis have a nice, delicate balance of sweet and tart, unripened kiwis haven’t achieved the balance yet.
Kiwi Skin
You might not have expected it, but the kiwi skin is good too. The skin is mild and mostly tart, but it can definitely be eaten.
What is the texture of a kiwi?
To the eye, a kiwi looks a little bit rough. The kiwi has an outsider layer of green with many tiny seeds and a white center. The seeds will add a little bit of additional texture and layering to the taste so a kiwi isn’t completely soft, but it doesn’t feel as rough in your mouth as it looks.
An unripened kiwi can be a bit harder, though not exactly chewy.
How should I eat a kiwi?
If you are going to eat a kiwi by itself, or with other fruit, we suggest using a napkin, or a bowl and spoon. Kiwis are surprisingly juicy and could certainly use something to soak up the juices that don’t get into your mouth.
Kiwis can be eaten with your hand. We just suggest washing them before you start shaking someone’s hand.
Does kiwi have any health benefits?
Most fruits have nice health benefits that are made better by being tasty.
We’ll start with the fact that a kiwi has more than twice your daily allotment of Vitamin C, which is a great boost to your immune system.
Kiwi is also said to have properties that can improve heart health, or at least resistant the artery clogging problems that cause heart issues.
In addition, kiwi has plenty of fiber, which keeps your bowel movements regular. A good daily dose of fiber not only helps you go to the bathroom easier, it can lead to weight loss.
As you can tell, kiwi has many health benfits. Like other fruits, kiwi has the great ability to both taste really good when ripe, and provide protection and preventative maintenance for your body.
How can I serve kiwi?
Kiwi is flexible too. It’s a welcome addition to a simple fruit bowl, or it can be added to a recipe that calls for fruit.
Imagine adding kiwi to a chopped salad, with the soft exterior adding a tangy and sweet flavoring without needing too much dressing. The juicy kiwi can also help moisten the salad a bit – aside from a salad mostly consisting of water anyway.
Kiwi also makes great smoothies. Blend it with pineapple, strawberry or your choice of fruit. A smoothie with kiwi gets a great antioxidant, vitamin, and fiber blend. A ripened kiwi is easier to blend, though it’s possible with an unripened kiwi too.
Kiwi generally makes an excellent breaktfast food. The tangy flavor can wake you up and provide lots of energy to start the day. We suggest a mix of kiwi and banana.
You can cook a kiwi, but you’ll actually bake out some of the nutritional content. Also, amongst kiwi’s features to most tongue is the soft texture and color – you’ll dull both of those by baking or cooking kiwi. You could add raw, cut up kiwi to a pie, cake, or other sweet dessert though.
Eating too much of literally anything can be harmful, to be fair. Kiwis have a large amount of potassium, so eating too many (like eating multiple every day) can eventually have a negative impact on kidney function.
Like bananas, kiwis more commonly than other fruits can prompt minor allergic reactions, including swelling of the tongue or itchiness of the mouth. Since this article does not provide medical expertise in your situation, we suggest consulting with a doctor if you’ve had past issues eating fruits like bananas, lemons, or limes.
Where can I find kiwi?
While kiwi is seasonal, and most generally widely available in the winter, kiwi can often be found at a grocery store. Kiwi is common enough that you probably won’t need to visit a unique or high end grocery store to find some.
Final thoughts
Kiwi is a terrific fruit for your health with a unique balance of flavors – and it looks kind of cool. Add kiwi to a fruit dish to add some extra green color, and a bit of soft and tanginess.
