A new study has found there could be more health benefits to eating kiwifruit than we first thought.
It's known for being high in fibre and vitamin C, but it's also now been found to significantly slow and reduce the uptake of sugars into the bloodstream.
Zespri's Innovation Leader for Health and Nutrition, Dr Juliet Ansell, says people who ate kiwifruit with their breakfast saw more regulated blood sugar levels.
"You actually really reduce that blood sugar peak in your blood stream. It's a much slower, longer tail off, so much more regulated blood glucose control."
Dr John Monro from Plant & Food Research studied the glycaemic impact on people who ate kiwifruit with their breakfast.
It's believed the fibre in kiwifruit behaves differently to other commonly eaten fibres. When eaten, it swells and thickens in the stomach, which slows the absorption of the sugars.
Dr Ansell says it could be a healthy option for people with a reduced tolerance to glucose.
"[For] people with type two diabetes, people who are overweight, they can eat kiwifruit and not only is it safe for them, it can actually help regulate their blood sugar levels."
It's one of the key findings being presented at a symposium on kiwifruit and health in Tauranga this week.
Newshub.
