Yes, You Can Eat Kiwi Skin—Here’s Why You Might Want To

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Eating kiwi skin boosts fiber intake by up to 50%, supporting digestion and overall gut health.

• Kiwi skin is rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and E, which may reduce inflammation and support immunity.

• Washing kiwi skin reduces fuzziness, making it easier to eat and adding convenience to your snack routine.

As with many fruits and veggies, it’s common practice to peel a kiwi before you eat it. There are many reasons why some prefer to eat kiwi without the peel: some people may not like the taste or texture of the fuzzy brown skin, some want to remove any potential germs or bacteria or some may not know that it’s safe to eat.

Whatever your reason is, if you’re a kiwi lover who always removes the peel, you might be missing out. Not only is it perfectly safe to eat the skin, it’s actually packed with a variety of nutrients, making it a small but super healthy part of the fruit.

Is Kiwi Skin Edible?

Kiwi fruit grows on heavy wooden vines that stretch across sturdy structures, most often trellises or arbors in a commercial growing environment. While the kiwi has many varieties, the green kiwi has a fuzzy peel and is the most common type found in North American grocery stores. Despite the contrast in appearance and texture to the inner flesh of the fruit, the skin of a fuzzy kiwi is completely safe to eat. Other common varieties, like golden kiwis, have a smoother, thinner skin. This variety is safe to eat with the peel on and may be more palatable for people who want to try eating the skin for the first time.

Benefits of Eating Kiwi Skin

It’s not just safe to eat kiwi skin, it’s highly encouraged from a nutritional standpoint. The skin provides a high concentration of powerful antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients, and when paired with the juicy flesh on the inside, you have a delicious fruit that packs a healthy punch.

It is Packed With Fiber

The fiber content of kiwi skin is reason alone to leave the fruit unpeeled. Consuming a golden kiwi with the skin increases the fiber content by 50 percent. And a 100-gram serving of green kiwi with the skin on has around 3 grams of fiber, compared to 2 grams of fiber when peeled. Getting enough fiber is super important for digestion, gut health and more. Yet, many Americans are missing the mark—about 95% to be more specific. Dietary fiber is not only good for digestion, but it can also help support healthy weight loss, if that is your goal.

It Contains Plenty of Antioxidants

Eating a kiwi with the skin on, whether it’s a green or golden kiwi, also increases your intake of vitamins and minerals. A golden kiwi with the skin on has 32 percent more Vitamin E than its peeled counterpart, and a green, unpeeled kiwi has around 75 milligrams of Vitamin C compared to 59 milligrams when peeled.

Antioxidants like Vitamin E and C have been found to support many essential functions of your body, such as reducing inflammation, improving cognitive health and even reducing your risk of cancer.

You Can Skip the Mess

Kiwis don’t peel super easily like bananas or oranges—and eating them without the skin often requires a knife or a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the fruit. Eating them straight up or biting into them like an apple not only reduces the amount of dishes required, it also means you won’t have to get your hands, table or whatever you’re eating all sticky.

Throw the whole thing into your bag, lunch box or pocket, give the outside a quick wash and take a bite. It’s as easy as that!

What to Consider When Eating Kiwis with the Skin On

Like any other fruit with edible skin, such as an apple or strawberry, it’s important to thoroughly wash the outside first. The skin acts as a barrier to protect the fruit from bacteria, dirt and animals while it’s growing outside—so washing it is a good way to prepare the skin for consumption.

Plus, washing the skin of a green kiwi can help dial down the texture. Scrubbing it with a coarse washcloth or clean sponge can remove some of the fuzziness and make it more palatable for those with an aversion to its natural texture.

Eating kiwis with the skin on is largely safe for most people. The few exceptions may be young children, who could choke on the thick, slightly tough skin. If you have a hard time biting into the whole fruit, try slicing the kiwi into smaller pieces and enjoy it like you would apple slices.

The Bottom Line

Kiwis are most commonly eaten without the skin, but switching it up and enjoying them skin and all is a simple and delicious way to boost the nutrition content. For both green and golden kiwis, eating them with the skin on reduces mess and increases the amount of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants they contain, all of which can help support your overall health. So, next time you enjoy a kiwi, reconsider the spoon or knife and take a bite—skin and all!

Read the original article on EatingWell