Eating Kiwi Fruit Has An Unexpected Effect On Your Cholesterol

Adding fruits to your daily diet is generally seen by many as a good idea. Aside from being such nutritional powerhouses, they tend to go well with a variety of recipes, and are even excellent when eaten alone. Take kiwis, for example.

Based on numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a 100-gram serving of raw, green kiwi flesh contains 64 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and less than half a gram of fat. It also covers about 83% of your vitamin C needs for the day, which is nothing to scoff at. When it comes to other nutrients, kiwi isn't so shabby, either: eating this fruit can help you meet your recommended Daily Value (DV) of vitamins E and K, as well as copper, folate, magnesium, and potassium.

As it turns out, kiwi is also a smart dietary choice if you're wary of your cholesterol levels. "Kiwi (along with many other fruits and vegetables) contain a plant chemical called polyphenols, which are believed to be the main component responsible for kiwi's cholesterol lowering benefits," shared Katherine Basbaum, RD at MyFitnessPal, in an exclusive interview with Health Digest.

So, why does eating kiwi have this unexpected side effect? It may have to do with how regular kiwi consumption affects your levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL, more commonly known as the 'good' cholesterol') and triglycerides (a type of lipid that serves as an energy source for your body.

According to a 2012 article in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers conducted a study involving 85 men with high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The men were instructed to eat two kiwis per day over the course of four weeks. At the end of the experiment, the researchers noted a "significant" increase in the subjects' HDL levels, as well as a reduction in their triglyceride levels. As Katherine Basbaum explained, "Having low HDL and high triglycerides increases risk of cardiovascular disease, so for fans of kiwi fruit, this can be a simple and tasty way to help protect your heart."

Its nutritional benefits notwithstanding, eating kiwi every day as is can make things pretty boring, pretty fast. Fortunately, Katherine Basbaum shared some ideas about how you can change things up if you want to snack on kiwi daily.

The simplest way to consume kiwi, of course, is to eat the fruit's meat raw, or to add it to a fruit salad or charcuterie board (where it can synergize with other equally tasty and nutritious ingredients). If you're planning to incorporate kiwi into your breakfast, feel free to try a sweet-and-sour lemony strawberry oat soak with kiwi mint (which you can eat cold or warm) or a straightforward bowl of overnight oats (albeit with a tropical twist). 

And if you're a mango lover, you're in luck, because these two fruits seem to go quite well together. For a refreshing snack, you can prepare a chai spice smoothie bowl with some mango and kiwi. You can even add some kiwi to spicy mango salsa and enjoy it with grilled salmon.