The Nutritional and Health Benefits of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta) \u2013 a Review

Piotr Latocha

doi:10.1007/s11130-017-0637-y

Abstract

The kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta) is a new product on the market that is enjoying growing consumer acceptance around the world. This widespread interest has created increased demand for identification of the kiwiberry’s nutritional health benefits. Containing over 20 essential nutrients and a range of vitamins, the kiwiberry comes near the top of fruits classed as superfoods. It is one of the richest sources of vitamin C with up to 430 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) and is considered the richest dietary source of myo-inositol (up to 982 mg/100 g FW). The kiwiberry is also one of the richest sources of lutein (up to 0.93 mg/100 g FW) in commonly consumed fruit. Furthermore, containing up to 1301.1 mg/100 g FW phenolics and significant amounts of the essential minerals of potassium, calcium and zinc, the kiwiberry rates very highly as a ‘healthy food’. The type and number of this fruit’s medicinally promising nutrients have motivated ongoing investigations into its antioxidant, anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory properties. Early research has pointed to the kiwiberry being a very promising treatment for some cancers and health issues involving the gastrointestinal system, hypercholesterolemia and certain cancers. A pharmaceutical composition of A. arguta, A. kolomikta, and A. polygama extracts has already been registered for the prevention and treatment of some immune (inflammatory) mediated diseases, as well as the treatment of some non-allergic inflammatory diseases. This paper reviews and highlights the limited nutritional and therapeutic information currently available on the kiwiberry, a minor fruit possessing such major properties.

Highlights

Human diets rich in fruit and vegetables are considered to be the healthiest
Available research indicates that the total anthocyanin content was the highest in A. melanandra (50.4–98.5 μg/100 g fresh weight (FW)) and red-fleshed A. arguta cultivars (161.2–206.1 μg/100 g FW), where anthocyanins are present in the skin, pericarp and core of the fruits [47, 48]
Two to 3 % of the human population display hypersensitivity to the actinidin contained in fruit, with the most common allergic reaction symptom being an oral dermatitis

Summary

Introduction

Human diets rich in fruit and vegetables are considered to be the healthiest. Novel fruits and berries are increasingly being introduced onto the local and world food stage. Current research by various scientific institutions points to kiwiberry, similar to kiwifruit, being one of the most nutritionally rich fruits in the world. Considerable published research describes the kiwiberry as having a similar chemical composition to kiwifruit, but containing significantly higher proportional amounts of particular compounds [13, 14].

Results

Conclusion