What Does Kiwi Taste Like: A Complete Overview

Fresh Ripe Kiwi — Kiwi – a tasty and nutritious superfruit.

What does kiwi taste like? Kiwi is not a simple fruit since its taste, appearance, and nutritional content are pretty excellent. Vibrant color slices dotted with tiny black seeds always work wonders in delivering nutrients.

This fruit is also highly prominent on the party table: attractive and scrumptious to eat. Therefore, kiwi has become one of the most favorite choices among fruits. This post will give you a close look at all characteristics of kiwi so that you can best understand this fantastic fruit.

Table of Contents

What Is Kiwi?

Kiwi Picking — Kiwi appeared a long time ago and gradually became popular around the world.

Kiwi is a fruit grown mainly from New Zealand nowadays. Although it has rough hairy skin with an unattractive color. Kiwi pulp is fresh, lively, and eye-catching in green or golden color.

Contrary to popular belief that kiwi is from New Zealand, this fruit is actually native to the forests of China ⁽¹⁾. According to recorded information, kiwi originated in central and eastern China from the 12th century.

And it was until the 20th century that this fruit first appeared in New Zealand. Gradually, the kiwi was exported to other countries, first to the UK and then to the US in the 1960s and gradually became popular around the world.

Features and Textures of Kiwi

Kiwi is a woody plant. Kiwi grows naturally in areas with altitudes from 600 to 2000 meters. The fruit is 5-7.5cm long and 3.5-4cm in diameter. Depending on the variety, kiwi has different characteristics.

In general, the outer of kiwi fruit is usually light brown and rough. This brown skin is often covered in fuzzy hairs. In contrast, the inner pulp is juicy, soft, and succulent. According to each type, the pulp can be different colors.

The tiny black seeds inside the kiwi pulp are soft and gelatinous, so no need to scoop them out when eating. In fact, you might not even really notice them as you eat your kiwi.

What Does Kiwi Taste Like?

Do you believe that you can know precisely what kiwi tastes like even though you have never eaten it? I will help you do this without having to go to the store to buy some kiwi!

Pulp Taste

The primary taste of kiwi fruit is citrusy, with a touch of sweetness. It gives a light, refreshing feeling when eaten. Besides the sugariness, what makes this fruit even more palatable is the additional mild sourness.

These two flavors are an excellent match for any fruit. The sour taste will be somewhat overpowering when your kiwi is not yet ripe. And the sweetness will overwhelm the sour over time.

Therefore, you should not eat kiwi when it is first picked from the tree or when it is too ripe. Because its taste will be too sour or too sweet, too spongy, and fermented.

Besides, the sugared taste of kiwi is generated from fructose. Natural fructose should not affect blood sugar at all, so you do not need to worry about that issue.

When eating kiwi, you will be impressed with the sweet aftertaste rather than the immediate taste. I must say that the taste of kiwi is exceptionally unique!

Skin Taste

Skin Of Kiwi — The hairy brown skin of kiwi can also be eaten.

Looking at the rough skin and the thin hair layer, no one would think that the kiwi skin can be eaten! In fact, nutritionists recommend that you also eat kiwi skin because it is extremely high in fiber and antioxidants. It is also rich in vitamin C – so good for your health.

The kiwi skin has a predominantly sour flavor. It is tarter and lighter than the pulp but still has a similar vibe. When eaten at the same time with the sweet pulp inside, the flavor blend will make you feel more comfortable than you could imagine.

Types Of Kiwi And Their Special Flavor

Golden Green Kiwi — Kiwi has two popular types with some differences.

This fruit has up to 43 types with different characteristics. On the market, there are 10 popular types of kiwi with their own interesting features. You can distinguish these types of kiwi by the general information below:

1. Green Kiwi

This is the most popular kiwi since this type is produced all year round so you can buy and eat whenever you want. The skin of the green kiwi is brown and quite hairy. The flesh is bright green, with many black seeds concentrated in a circle around the longitudinal axis of the fruit.

This kind of kiwi has a mild sweet and sour taste, less sweet than golden kiwi – one of the most popular kiwi types that I will introduce you right below. It also has lower vitamin C content than some types of kiwi, but the fiber content is overwhelming.

2. Golden Kiwi

Unlike green kiwi, golden kiwi has hairless skin and is usually golden in color. Its flesh is more golden and has fewer seeds than other kiwis. As the outside of this kiwi is hairless, you can pick it and eat it without peeling the skin.

About the taste, golden kiwi is deeply sweeter due to its high fructose content – a natural fruit sugar. It is also softer and mushier than green kiwi. It can be easier to eat with a sugary taste.

Besides, golden kiwi is also high in vitamin C content, almost twice as high as green kiwi. However, it has lower fiber content.

3. Red Kiwi

Unlike green kiwi, the red kiwi’s skin is dark brown with greenish tint and hairless. This kiwi fruit has beautiful red flesh with many black seeds.

Not only does it look vibrant, red kiwi also has a pleasurably sweet taste with a berry-tinged hint. This kiwi variety has a low yield due to difficult growing techniques, so it is quite rare.

4. Dumbarton Oaks Kiwi

It can be said that this is the most unique looking kiwi. Its skin is ribbed like a pumpkin and is light green in color. The skin is also smooth and completely hairless unlike other kiwis, so you can eat this fruit without removing the skin.

The size of the Dumbarton Oaks kiwi fruit is medium. When eating, you will taste the sweetness and attractive aroma. This is a tasty and easy-to-eat kiwi in the kiwi family.

5. Hardy Kiwi (Kiwiberries)

Hardy kiwi is more tolerant of cold climates than other kiwis, so it is often grown in the colder season. This type of kiwi has many different varieties. The fruit is smaller so you can eat it directly without peeling.

When ripe, it has a pleasant sweet and juicy taste, contrasting with the acidic flavor before. Some people think that the flavor of hardy kiwi is even more flavorful than other kiwifruits.

6. Anananzaya Kiwi

To identify Anananzaya Kiwi, you should notice the characteristic green to purple-red color of the skin. This type of kiwi grows quickly in full sun with any soil. This fruit has a pleasant mild aroma and an extremely sweet taste.

7. Issai Kiwi

This is a delicious kiwi originated in Japan. No need for male and female plants, it can reproduce on its own. Issai Kiwi produces bunches of fruits that look cute together. Each fruit is large in size and has a unique sweet taste.

8. Ken’s Red Kiwi

This kiwi is called Ken’s Red Kiwi because it is named after the person who bred it. Not only the skin, the flesh of this kiwi also has a prominent purple-red color. Grown seasonally, this kind of kiwi fruit is large in size and has a wonderfully sweet taste.

9. Michigan State Kiwi

Michigan State kiwi is also a hardy kiwi with large fruit that can weigh up to 1 ounce with trees up to 12 feet tall. This kiwi fruit is bright green like a lemon with a mouth-watering and sweet fleshy taste.

10. Rossana Italian Kiwi

Since it is found in Italy, this fruit is known as Rossana Italian Kiwi. Its fruits are large in size and are also grown seasonally. The skin is characterized by a light green color. When you taste it, you get a sweet fruity taste.

The Huge Health Benefits That Kiwi Fruit Brings To You And I

Kiwi Fruit Slices — Eating kiwi can bring you many health benefits.

Kiwi is one of the fruits with many benefits for people health with outstanding uses such as:

Support Sleep and Increase Concentration

Kiwi fruit also contains very high levels of serotonin, which is a hormone that supports the digestive and circulatory systems.

Serotonin works to enhance memory, regulate emotions, and control appetite extremely well. Even serotonin has the effect of bringing good sleep and helping the mind to feel more awake in the morning.

Support The Digestive System and Blood Sugar

Kiwi fruit contains a lot of fiber, so it is good for the digestive system. At the same time, kiwi also contains a proteolytic enzyme called actinidin, which supports the breakdown of protein (protein), so it is even more beneficial for the digestive system.

In particular, kiwi is a fruit that does not contain fat, so it helps control blood sugar well when the GI index of kiwi is only 52. Therefore, this fresh fruit will support the body to control cholesterol and maintain health, cardiovascular health, and regulation of the digestive process.

Strengthen The Immune System And Fight Colon Cancer

Kiwi contains a lot of vitamin C, which is considered an essential nutrient to help the body strengthen the immune system, fight stress, help wounds heal, absorb iron well, as well as reduce the symptoms of some common diseases like colds and flu.

Two medium-sized kiwis can provide about 230% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C (apparently twice as much as oranges). Or every day, you just need to drink 1 glass of kiwi juice to provide the vitamin C you need for a day.

Nourish The Eyes

Macular degeneration is considered one of the leading causes of poor vision. And kiwi is considered a fruit that can help protect your eyes from the risk of this disease.

Research results show that eating 3 servings of kiwi a day can reduce the risk of macular degeneration by 36%, because kiwi contains high levels of zeolipin and lutein. According to some other studies, lutein (a carotenoid) may help the eyes stave off aging-related blindness.

Reduce Blood Clotting

According to the research results, eating 2-3 kiwis per day will significantly reduce the risk of blood clots and also reduce the amount of fat in the blood, just like you take aspirin to improve blood pressure, and good for heart health.

How to Peel Kiwi Properly?

Kiwi is a fruit with high nutritional content. But it will be even better if you know how to peel kiwi properly. Let’s refer to 3 ways to eat kiwi right below:

Peel And Slice

Kiwi Fruit Cutaway — Peeling and slicing kiwis are the most popular way to get kiwi flesh.

Although kiwi skin has many benefits, not everyone can eat it. So to eat kiwi, the steps you need to do are cut the ends, peel the fruit lengthwise and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Present them on a plate, and you can enjoy this nutritious fruit.

Use A Spoon

Eating Kiwi — Eating kiwi by a spoon is a convenient method.

Using a spoon is one of the standard ways to eat this fruit. There are two methods:

Method 1: Cut both ends of a kiwi, then slide the spoon just below the kiwi skin, matching the spoon’s curve to the curve of the fruit.

Slide the spoon around the kiwi to separate the pulp from the skin. Remember, do not dig the spoon into the pulp. When the spoon has run entirely around the fruit, the pulp should quickly come out of the skin.

Method 2: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise, use a spoon to scoop the pulp inside the skin directly to eat.

Use A Cup

Similar to the spoon method, you can use a cup to remove the kiwi pulp from the peel. First, cut the kiwi in half, then use the side of the cup to gently slide into the pulp next to the skin. Just like that, you can take out the whole kiwi pulp and peel out the skin.

You can see this video to know more:

Watch this video: Let's Learn 3 Excellent Ways To Peel Your Kiwis!

How Long Can Kiwi Last In Different Storing Environment?

To keep kiwis fresh for a long time and fully enjoy their fantastic taste, join me in saving some of the following preservation tips:

At Room Temperature

You can preserve your kiwis at room temperature and use them within 2-3 days. Remember not to cut it into small pieces and leave it in the air for too long. It will reduce 16% of the vitamin C in the kiwi fruit.

In The Refrigerator

You can keep your whole ripe kiwis for up to 5-7 days without changing their taste and losing the fruit’s nutritional value in the refrigerator. For the unripe fruit, they can last about 1 months. Once cut, mature kiwi slices will remain fresh for 2-3 days in the fridge.

In The Freezer

You can put the kiwi in the freezer to use it longer. Once chopped, ripe kiwis can be stored for up to 8-12 months. Once defrosted for use, you should use it all. If there is something left, do not re-freeze it again!

How To Choose The Fresh Kiwi

Kiwi Fruit Boxes — You should observe and check the kiwi before deciding to buy it.

To choose the freshest kiwis, you should know some useful tips. You need to use your senses to determine if you should buy this kiwi or turn to another one:

Observe The Stem

When touching the fruit stem, gently press it with your hand. If you feel the softness of the stem, it is a ripe and sweet fruit. If the stem is still hard, the kiwi is not ripe and will have a sour taste when eaten.

Look At Appearance

It would be best if you chose to buy large round fruits with a particular curvature. Do not buy fruits that are too big or too small. Besides, you also limit buying fruits that are too soft, crushed, or distorted.

To be sure to buy the best kiwis, you should rotate them around to see the whole fruit again. Should choose to buy smooth fruit, not the torn, cracked, or scratched one. In addition, you should also stay away from fruits that have traces of insect bites or have an unusual color.

How To Make Kiwi Ripe Faster

Beautiful Kiwi Fruit — There are various ways to make kiwi ripe quickly.

As for kiwis that are not very ripe, they will not have enough sweet taste when eaten. It would be best if you let the fruit ripen in a few more days in the following ways:

Ripening At Room Temperature

When buying kiwis from the market or store, you should determine their status. If they are already ripe, immediately put them in the refrigerator so they will not be overripe.

In case your kiwis are not ready to eat, you can ripen them by putting them in a container, and leave them at room temperature. Kiwi will ripen softly and flagrantly within 3 to 5 days.

However, you should remember that kiwi should not be exposed to direct sunlight, or it will change color and quickly spoil.

Ripening By Contact With Ethylene

You can put kiwi in a plastic bag and add another ripe fruit like banana, apple, or pear. Ethylene gas from ripe fruit can promote faster ripening of kiwi fruit in 1 to 2 days.

You can replace plastic bags with paper bags and cut a few holes so that they can easily escape air to avoid waterlogging. After the fruit is soft and fragrant, take it out and store it in the refrigerator.

Fascinating Recipes With Kiwi

Kiwi is not only excellent to eat directly but also stunning to use in many recipes! Let’s take a look at some of the flavorful choices below:

Kiwi Lime Pie

This is a straightforward recipe for success the first time. Key lime pie is light, refreshing, and relaxing. It is covered with a layer of sour kiwi on the top – beautiful green! You must try this version of key lime pie right away!

Try to make this quick kiwi lime pie recipe for a healthier dessert!

Watch this video: Healthy Kiwi Lime Pie Recipe - Treat Yourself

Kiwi Chia Pudding

Let’s impress your family with this healthy kiwi chia pudding recipe! Kiwi and chia seeds are great ingredients for making pudding. This easy-to-make recipe is also suitable for a busy night.

Strawberry Kiwi Salad

Are you looking for the perfect dessert for dinner? Kiwi is a good ingredient for nutritious salads. It brings a sweet flavor to this salad recipe. All blend so nicely with the syrup! This summer salad has an attractive taste and extremely vivid color.

Summer kiwi strawberry salad will be the most nutritious side dish! You can see this video to know more:

Watch this video: Kiwi Strawberry Basil Salad

Kiwi Pineapple Smoothie

Enjoy your life with this mouth-watering kiwi pineapple smoothie recipe! It is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. This is so delicious and fresh. It would help if you made this smoothie to nourish your body every day.

Strawberry Kiwi Fruit Pizza

Try to make the beautiful slices of pizza with some kiwi and strawberry! The vivid colors of this dessert will impress everyone. The way to make it is pretty simple, and the taste is so fascinating.

Beautify your party table with this strawberry kiwi fruit pizza! You can see this video to know more:

Watch this video: Strawberry Kiwi Fruit Pizza Watermelon

FAQs

Are you still wondering more about this super fruit? The common questions and answers below will help you understand more about kiwi!

Should I Eat The Kiwi Skin?

Yes, the kiwi skin is edible! Scientists have shown that the skin of the kiwi fruit is rich in antioxidants three times more than the pulp, contains a lot of vitamin C, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic substances.

In addition, the skin also contains a lot of soluble fiber, cleans the intestines, lowers bad cholesterol, and is beneficial for the digestive process. Many people say that kiwi skin is a bit difficult to eat, but the choice is left up to you!

What Is The Right Time To Eat Kiwi For The Best Flavor?

To recognize if your kiwi is ripe or not, you should hold the fruit in your hand and gently squeeze. If the kiwi fruit is a bit soft, it is ripe and can be eaten immediately.

In case the fruit is still hard, you should leave the fruit to ripen at room temperature for 3-5 days, or wrap the fruit in a paper bag, plastic bag with apples, or bananas to ripen faster.

Signs Kiwi Go Bad?

There are three obvious signs that you can tell when kiwi goes bad: change in texture, off smell, or appearance of dark spots on the skin. When your kiwi is too soft, starts to become mushy and watery, that means it is spoiled.

If it gets upset by acidification, you should also not eat it anymore. And if dark spots appear, you may not need to remove the whole fruit but simply cut away the discolored skin and pulp.

Will Kiwi Fruit Turn Brown After Cutting?

Usually, kiwi will not turn brown after slicing. However, you should note that the longer the fruit is exposed to the air, the softer and more mushy the fruit will be. Therefore, it is best just to cut it out just before you want to eat it.

Should You Eat Kiwi Overripe?

When overripe, kiwi is slightly soft and very sweet. However, it is still tasty and healthy to eat. If you don’t like it, use overripe kiwi to make many delicious recipes I recommend above.

Why Is My Kiwi Sour?

Kiwi is sour because it’s not ripe yet. You should wait a few more days or ferment it to ripen faster.

Who Should Not Eat Kiwi?

People who are suffering from gallstones, kidney stones, or urinating a lot should not eat. Those with stomach diseases should also not eat a lot of kiwis.

Besides, those who are sensitive and easily allergic to fruit sap (in kiwi fruit contains actinidin, which can cause allergies with manifestations such as itching, pain, wheezing) should not consume kiwi too.

Enjoy The Great Taste Of Kiwi Right Away!

With its attractive appearance and taste, kiwi is increasingly loved everywhere. The juicy and fresh taste will be a favorite fruit for parties, summer days, or a daily treat for you.

Kiwi is considered a good fruit because it contains many natural, biologically active substances beneficial to health. The American College of Nutrition announced in New York that kiwi fruit is the most nutrient-dense fruit. Use kiwi regularly for the health of you and your family.

And finally, do not hesitate to leave a comment and share this post for those who wonder what kiwi taste like. I am pretty sure that they will love the useful information that you provide them through this post!