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Plant Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Kiwifruits are exceptionally high in vitamin C and contain an array of other nutrients, notably dietary fibers, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and folate, as well as various antioxidants, phytonutrients, and enzymes, that act to provide functional and metabolic benefits. Of particular interest are the digestive benefits for healthy individuals as well as for those with constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders, including symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. The mechanisms of action behind the gastrointestinal effects, such as changes in fecal (stool) consistency, decrease in transit time, and reduction of abdominal discomfort, relate to the water retention capacity of kiwifruit fiber, favorable changes in the human colonic microbial community and primary metabolites, as well as the naturally present proteolytic enzyme actinidin, which aids protein digestion both in the stomach and the small intestine (111). Moreover, kiwifruit alleviates symptoms of asthma, controls diabetes, lowers blood triglyceride levels, maintains cardiovascular health, and prevents macular degeneration. Kiwi skin is also rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Most people remove the fuzzy skin, but kiwis can be eaten whole with the skin after carefully scrubbing the skin with water. Kiwi is eaten fresh or prepared as juice or dessert.
Emerging Medicinal Values of Kiwifruit (Actinidia Lindl.)
Published in Mahendra Rai, Shandesh Bhattarai, Chistiane M. Feitosa, Ethnopharmacology of Wild Plants, 2021
Mira Dhakal, Shandesh Bhattarai
The high fibre content also has a mild laxative effect (Lal et al. 2010). Ripe kiwifruits contain the proteolytic enzyme actinidin, which is said to aid digestion. Regular consumption of kiwifruit was shown to promote bulkier, softer and more frequent stool production (Lal et al. 2010, Chawla et al. 2016, www.medicalnewstoday.com).
Molecular Diagnosis in Contact Urticaria Caused by Proteins
Published in Ana M. Giménez-Arnau, Howard I. Maibach, Contact Urticaria Syndrome, 2014
The two main kiwi fruit allergens are actinidin (Act d 1), a thiolprotease, and a thaumatin-like protein (Act d 2).[70,71] The stability of Act d 1 and Act d 2 provides one explanation for the allergenic potency of kiwi fruit. Cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants and thiolproteases that are homologous to Act d 1 are responsible for wheat–kiwi cross-reactivity in some patients.[72] A potential association between respiratory allergy to cereal flour and allergy to kiwi fruit has been demonstrated. In patients with allergic reactions to figs and other tropical fruits (kiwi fruit, papaya, avocado, banana, and pineapple), thiolproteases can mediate, at least in part, this cross-reactivity.[73] A 40-kDa glycoprotein designated as Act d 3.02 and kiwellin (Act d 5) has been described as an important allergens as well.[56] Bet v 1-homologous allergens (PR-10) from green (Act d 8) and gold (Act c 8) kiwi fruit are recognized by birch pollen- or kiwi fruit–allergic patients.[71]
A Peptide from Kiwifruit Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Celiac Disease Mucosa
Published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2019
Ilaria Russo, Chiara Del Giorno, Ivana Giangrieco, Najla Hajji, Maria Antonietta Ciardiello, Paola Iovino, Carolina Ciacci
Some food components, including plant polyphenols, vitamins, and fatty acids, may have a role in the nutritional therapy of gut inflammation (9, 10). Among plant foods, kiwifruit is one of the best sources of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, polyphenols, and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity component (11). In fact, it seems that the consumption of a kiwifruit (100–150 g) is sufficient to provide the entire daily dosage of antioxidants recommended for the human diet. Several health-promoting effects have been associated with kiwifruits, such as anticancer and antimicrobial activity (12), protection against DNA damage (13), cardiovascular protective properties (14), and antidiabetic function (15). Kiwifruit is a plant food displaying some molecular peculiarities. In fact, kiwifruit also contains protein molecules not reported in other fruits so far. For instance, the nutraceutical peptide kissper (16) has been detected in green kiwifruit only. Kissper is a 39-residue peptide deriving from the proteolytic processing of the precursor kiwellin, a two-domain protein (17) found in very high amounts in kiwifruit (18, 19). The protease actinidin 7catalyzes the kiwellin processing, thus producing KiTH and kissper, corresponding to the C-terminal and N-terminal domains, respectively (20). The kissper showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in experiments carried out in human models such as cultured intestinal cells and ex vivo colonic tissues from subjects suffering from Crohn's disease (21). However, the effect of kissper in Crohn’s disease was impressive and we hypothesized it might work also in more site of the gut and possibly also in a different type of inflammation. As matter of fact, the kissper, like other dietary components, may exert some effects on inflammation in the gut by a nonspecific mechanism. Other substances (cranberry, for example) have a similar nonspecific effect (9–16). The hypothesis is made that a modification of nutrition, adding a nutraceutical food, may be useful in any gut inflammatory condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and celiac disease.