Can you eat kiwi skin?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Can you eat kiwi skin?” and provide information on the advantages of consuming kiwi skin, whether antioxidants are present in them, why kiwi skin irritates one’s mouth, and the disadvantages of consuming kiwi skin.
Can you eat kiwi skin?
Yes, you can eat kiwi skin. Kiwi skin is brown and furry. The skin is edible, though there are some individuals who do not like consuming kiwi skin because of its furriness.
Kiwi has a combination of sweet and sour flavors. If a kiwi is particularly ripe, its flavor would mostly lean towards being sweet.
However, if Kiwi is unripe, its flavor would be sour. Kiwi skin can be eaten with ripe fruits to reduce the feeling of fuzziness.
What are some advantages of consuming kiwi skin?
The main advantage of consuming kiwi skin would be that it is a source of fiber. Fiber can help in improving gut immunity. It can also reduce the risk of developing metabolic diseases like heart disease, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes.
Kiwi skin is also a source of folate. Folate promotes cell growth along with division. It also reduces the risk of developing neural tube defects in babies.
Vitamin E is another vitamin present in the kiwi skin. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has antioxidant benefits. It can help in protecting the individual from free radicals by neutralizing them.
Are there antioxidants present in kiwi skin?
Kiwi skin is a good source of antioxidants. Antioxidant levels are higher in the flesh of kiwis rather than in its skin.
Two major antioxidant vitamins present in kiwi skin would include vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamin C helps in promoting immunity and acts as an antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals in the bloodstream.
On the other hand, vitamin E can help in fighting the antioxidants in the cell membrane. This way it can be beneficial.
What are the disadvantages of consuming kiwi skin?
The major disadvantage of consuming kiwi skin is that it is not consumed by people because of the fuzziness of the kiwi skin.
Sometimes, kiwi can also irritate the mouth of the person. As a result, they may choose to not consume them.
Can kiwi skin irritate your mouth?
Yes, kiwi skin can irritate your mouth. The presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the kiwi skin tends to irritate one’s mouth. These calcium oxalate crystals are also called raphides. When kept inside the mouth, they tend to sting. As a result, people avoid consuming kiwi skin.
How to remove the fuzziness in kiwi skin?
Kiwi skin has a bad mouthfeel. This can prompt the individuals to avoid consuming kiwi skin. If you want to remove the fuzziness of the kiwi skin, you can wipe it with a towel. You can also start to rub them using a spoon to remove the fuzziness.
You can also use a paring knife and remove kiwi’s peel. This can remove the raphides present inside kiwi skin which contributes to a stinging sensation in the mouth. You can consume ripe kiwis rather than unripe ones to reduce this effect.
Who should not consume kiwi skin?
Individuals who have an allergy to kiwi should avoid consuming foods prepared using kiwi or any parts of kiwi including its skin.
Some symptoms experienced with the consumption of kiwi would include itching sensation in or around the mouth, numbness around the mouth, swelling of lips, congestion, and in severe cases anaphylaxis.
Individuals with kidney stones, particularly calcium oxalate stones should not consume kiwi skin as there is oxalate present in the skin of the kiwi.
How to select the kiwi skin?
While searching for kiwis, go for kiwis that are smaller in size. This is because smaller kiwis tend to have softer skin.
Go for kiwis that are smooth and give in when pressed. Do not select unripe ones as the skin would be firm as well.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Can you eat kiwi skin?” and provided information on the advantages of consuming kiwi skin, whether antioxidants are present in them, why kiwi skin irritates one’s mouth, and the disadvantages of consuming kiwi skin.
Information on how to remove the kiwi skin’s fuzziness to make it edible, how to select kiwi skin as well as who should not consume kiwi skin are given.
