When You Eat Kiwi Every Day, This Is What Happens To Your Blood Pressure
Kiwi doesn't get a whole lot of hype in comparison to, say, bananas or oranges. It's not a fruit we think about often, let alone every day. In fact, what does kiwi pair well with besides a summertime fruit salad? Time to get creative, because kiwifruit can work wonders for our blood pressure.
It's common knowledge that having high blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase one's risk for heart attack or stroke. What you may not know is that high blood pressure can also make a person more vulnerable to dementia, kidney damage, aneurysm, or vision issues, according to experts at the Mayo Clinic. Ideally, we want to keep our blood pressure below a reading of 120 over 80. Our blood pressure is considered high when we hit a measurement of 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). With their fuzzy brown exterior and juicy, green, inner flesh, kiwis contain one essential vitamin in particular that has been linked with lowering blood pressure.
Eating kiwi may help lower your blood pressure
Along with 215 milligrams (mg) of potassium, 23.5 mg of calcium, and the exact same amount of phosphorus, one raw kiwifruit contains 64 mg of vitamin C, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to 2020 research published in the scientific journal Medicine, patients with high blood pressure who took vitamin C supplements saw drops in both their systolic (the first number) and diastolic (the second number) blood pressure measurements.
When it comes to kiwi, specifically, researchers from a 2015 study published in Blood Pressure looked at how eating kiwifruit impacted the blood pressure of 118 patients with moderately higher-than-normal blood pressure. It was found that eating three kiwis daily over the course of eight weeks resulted in greater decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured over a 24-hour period in comparison to patients who ate one apple each day. If three fruits a day sounds like a lot, some research shows that eating less than three kiwis daily may still benefit our blood pressure.
Eating just two kiwifruits a day may be enough
If you think you might only be able to stomach two kiwifruits a day, you're in luck. In a 2022 study published in Nutrients, over 40 healthy adults were given 500 milliliters (mL) of carbonated water and two kiwis to eat each morning prior to breakfast over the course of seven weeks. The control group only received carbonated water. In addition to getting more vitamin C and other essential nutrients, those in the kiwi-eating group also ingested more fructose, the natural sugar found in fruits. Despite this, however, the intervention group experienced a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure than the water-only group, and no negative fructose-related side effects were noted.
If you're still stumped on how to work kiwi into your daily diet, experts at Have a Plant have you covered. For one, consider adding the fruit to your favorite smoothie or parfait. Looking for something a little more out-of-the-box? Try blending kiwi into your own fruity jam or spicy salsa. Grilled kiwi can also make a great garnish while adding a little extra flavor to meat or poultry dishes. At the end of the day, you can always grab a spoon and snack on raw kiwifruit just as it is. With these creative ideas, you won't be stuck eating fruit salad day in and day out. Want to learn more? Check out what else happens to your body when you eat kiwi every day.