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For Potent Health Benefits, Choose Kiwi
by Alice Osborne
The produce departments at our local grocery stores are offering kiwi fruit at a great price right now, so it makes good sense to take advantage of it while we can. Here are some basics on how to select and store this fuzzy, brown, egg-shaped fruit:
- Choose kiwi that are free of wrinkles, soft spots, cuts, and bruises. (Water spots or marks on the skin's surface don't affect quality.)
- Firm kiwi keep up to 3 weeks (or more) in the refrigerator. Since moisture is the key to nutrition and quality, keep in a plastic bag or the refrigerator vegetable drawer, away from other fruits and veggies if you're not planning to use immediately. Do not freeze.
- To soften, hold at room temperature in a loosely closed paper bag for 48 to 72 hrs. Keep out of direct sunlight.
- To speed up softening, put a ready-to-eat fruit such as a banana, apple, peach, or other fruit inside the bag with the kiwi.
- Once kiwi is ripe and yields to the touch, refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
- Refrigerate sliced kiwi promptly in an airtight container.
A native of China and a transplant to and from New Zealand, it first appeared in our American markets in 1980. Recent studies have shown that the nutritional value of kiwi is, ounce for ounce, superior to that of other fruit.
With almost twice the amount of vitamin C as an orange, and eight times the nutrients of an apple-it's a good idea to see where we can insert this healthy and fun food into the family dinner menu!
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