Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is an annoying medical condition that once plagued my colleague Zac. Recently, he shared an interesting recipe with me—and drew my attention to kiwis (Chinese gooseberries).
Zac’s nasal allergies started in secondary school, where he regularly endured a stuffy nose, sneezing, and puffy eyes. One of his teachers, who suffered from the same malady, told Zac about a decoction of kiwifruit that could help. Zac didn’t follow the teacher’s advice.
A year later, a diet he was on called for eating two kiwis a day. Since then, Zac has had no recurrence of his allergies, which made kiwifruit stick in his mind.
Anti-Cancer Effects
Kiwifruit also has anti-cancer effects. Research published in 2020 in the journal Nutrition and Cancer found that eating kiwis as part of a daily diet may be related to direct and indirect anti-cancer effects.
The direct anti-cancer effect is caused by vitamin C, which protects cell DNA, reduces oxidative damage, and enhances the body’s immunity. Kiwis also contain fisetin and ursolic acid, which are toxic to cancer cells and can inhibit cancer cell proliferation and promote cancer cell apoptosis.
Lower Blood Pressure
Kiwis are rich in potassium, which helps maintain normal blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular diseases, though it isn’t ideal for people with poor kidney function. In a 2015 study published in the journal Blood Pressure, 118 patients with normal hypertension or primary hypertension were divided into two groups for an eight-week trial. The results showed that patients who ate three kiwis a day had lower blood pressure than those who ate an apple a day.
Nature of Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit is also called Chinese gooseberry, and its rhizome (underground plant stem) can be used as a Chinese herbal medicine for its anti-cancer properties. When it comes to kiwis, some may think of New Zealand—but the fruit’s real origins are in China. The first kiwis brought to the island nation can be traced back to 1904, when a New Zealand school teacher, Isabel Fraser, returned from a visit to China with seeds. Kiwifruit was then widely planted and sold across the country.
In traditional Chinese medicine, food is considered to be either cold or hot in nature—and kiwifruit, despite its many nutritional benefits, is considered to be “cold.” Traditional medicine holds that when people eat cold foods, they increase the cooling effect on the body, while eating hot foods will increase the warming effect on the body. Balancing one’s intake of cold and hot foods best serves the body. Thus, kiwis should be eaten in moderation; boiling them to make a decoction can reduce their cooling effect.
A Decoction With Kiwifruit
Hong Kong Yan Chai Hospital shared a recipe for a decoction of kiwifruit, which has the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving coughs, invigorating the spleen and appetite, clearing away heat, and promoting fluid in the body. It’s suitable for lung cancer patients with symptoms such as dry cough, dry mouth, and gradual weight loss. Some of the ingredients can be found at local Asian food markets.
Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)
3 to 5 pieces of snow fungus
4 kiwis
200 grams (7 ounces) pork shank
30 grams (1 ounce) lily
30 grams (1 ounce) apricot kernels
6 grams (0.2 ounces) chuan bei (tendrilleaf fritillary bulb)
- Soak the snow fungus in clean water, remove the hard stalks, and cut them into small pieces. Remove the peel of the kiwis and cut them in half. Put the pork shank in boiling water for a while, then cut it into smaller pieces for later use.
- Rinse the lily, apricot kernels, and chuan bei with water and soak for about 15 minutes.
- Put water and all the ingredients except the pork shank and the kiwis into a pot. Add the pork shank when the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Then add the kiwis and cook for another 15 minutes. Salt to taste and serve.