On the basis of citric acid content or citrus taste of several fruits, many people classify them in the category of citrus fruits. Even there’s no solid reason behind this fact. Similarly, many people also think that kiwi is a citrus fruit because of its tart flavor or smell like citruses. But, is kiwi a citrus fruit?
If kiwi is a citrus fruit, then how or, if it doesn’t belong to citruses, then why? And, to which family it actually belongs? I am here to answer all these questions about kiwi. Let’s take a glance over it.
Is Kiwi a Citrus Fruit?
Kiwi is not a citrus fruit. Despite of its tart flavor and smell like citruses, it is not a citrus fruit. But why kiwi is not a citrus fruit? Let’s take a look.
The major difference between the kiwi and citruses is that they belong to different families. Citrus fruits belong to the Rutaceae family, whereas kiwi comes from the Actinidiaceae family.
Kiwi grows on woody vines, while citrus fruits grow on trees. Citruses are famous for their sharp fragrance and taste. Their tart flavor is due to the high citric acid content.
But, a fruit with high citric acid content is not always a citrus fruit. Similarly, kiwi is not a citrus fruit. Some common citrus fruits are oranges, limes, lemons, tangerines, and pomelo.
Another difference between them is that the kiwi fruit has crunchy edible seeds, while the seeds of citruses are usually non-edible. In contrast to citruses, kiwi has translucent soft flesh, either golden or light green in color.
So, these are some prime dissimilarities between kiwi fruit and citruses. And, I hope you will get your answer to that question is kiwi a citrus fruit or not?
Vitamin C Content in Kiwi
Kiwi is not a citrus fruit, but despite that, kiwi is high in vitamin C. And surprisingly, kiwi has more vitamin C content than many citruses.
The amount of vitamin C varies in different varieties of kiwi. It also varies greatly from species to species of kiwi fruit. On average, one medium kiwi has 70 milligrams of vitamin C, which is great.
In adults, the requirement of vitamin C is 60 to 90 milligrams per day. So, a single kiwi can fulfill your daily Vitamin C requirement.
Vitamin C has many beneficial effects on human health. For instance, it is an antioxidant and protects the human body against toxic chemicals. Also, it relieves stress, prevents the dryness of skin, produces immunity, and many more.
Thus, you can intake your daily Vitamin C quantity from kiwi fruit. Still, kiwi is not a citrus fruit but rich in Vitamin C like citruses.
What Does Kiwi Taste Like?
Usually, kiwi is an exotic and refreshing fruit that is sweet in taste. As we know that the Vitamin C content in kiwi is high, so it has a somewhat tart flavor. But, this slight tartness with natural sweetness is really amazing and reviving.
However, it is not a complete answer to the question of what does kiwi taste like. And, the reason is that the taste of the different types of kiwi is different.
But, we can say that its taste varies from mild sweet to sweetish taste with a slight tanginess. The taste and flavor of kiwi also depend on the extent of its ripening.
Unripe kiwi is sour in taste and has a firm texture. You shouldn’t eat unripe kiwi. In contrast, the taste of a ripen kiwi is pleasantly sweet with a little bit of tartness and having a soft texture.
Is Kiwi Fruit A Berry?
Kiwi is a true berry just like other typical berries. The most common berries are blackberries, strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
Here, the question is why kiwi fruit a berry? All berries are developed by the ripening of an ovary of a single flower.
Typically, a berry is a fruit having soft, pulpy, and edible flesh. In contrast to other fruits, there is no single pit or stone in it. There are small edible seeds in berries embedded in the juicy flesh.
Usually, all berries have a round shape with bright colored edible flesh. And, the taste of berries is sweet with a little pinch of tartness.
Kiwi has all the characteristics of a family of berries, and it doesn’t belong to the citrus family. Therefore, we conclude that kiwi is a true berry.
Similarities Between Kiwi And Citrus Fruits
I already explain the answer is kiwi a citrus fruit? And, now you know that kiwi is not a citrus fruit because kiwi belongs to the berry family.
However, kiwi also has some similarities to citrus fruits. And, therefore people sometimes think of questions, like is kiwi a citrus fruit? Let’s know all those similarities.
Kiwi has a lot of vitamin C like citruses. The climate condition for the growth of kiwi is the same as citrus fruits. Kiwi loves the warm and humid climate. Moreover, you can also grow kiwi from its own fruit berry just like citruses.
Both of these are tropical fruits. Interestingly, kiwi has a similar sweet and tart taste to citrus fruits. No doubt, both are delicious, refreshing, and exotic fruits.
Mostly, kiwi is used in fruit cakes, desserts, and smoothies like citruses. It also goes great in fruit salads and shakes.
When Is Kiwi in Season?
Now, you may want to know when is kiwi in season. But, the answer of this question is not as simple as you think. Because the ripening season of kiwi depends on the climate conditions in which it grows.
Various varieties of kiwi are available round the year. However, some variants of kiwi are available in a certain season. So, the kiwi season differs greatly among its varieties.
Generally, the vines of kiwi started to grow in the spring season. And, kiwi attains its full size in August. However, its ripening season is late fall. Thus, kiwi is readily available in the months from November to January.
In different countries, kiwifruit is grown and harvested in different seasons. That’s why it is available in the market almost round the year. Here I am going to reveal the kiwi season in popular countries.
When is kiwi fruit in season in China? Kiwifruit is available in the months from September to December in China.
When is kiwi in season in New Zealand? In New Zealand, the kiwi season is from March to May.
Kiwi is available from September to November in Italy. While in Iran, the kiwi season is from October to November.
Thus, the kiwi season dramatically varies from country to country because it depends on the climate aspects.
Types of Kiwi
There are numerous varieties of kiwi fruit depending on its fruit type or kiwi vine. Different varieties of kiwi are grown in different countries.
Hardy kiwi, fuzzy kiwi, green kiwi, and golden kiwi are some popular types of kiwi fruit.
Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia Arguta, also known as the hardy kiwi, is a type of kiwi fruit native to China, Japan, and Russia. In contrast to other types of kiwi, Hardy kiwis small in size. Its outer covering is without small fuzzy fibers.
Hardy kiwi has a smooth outer skin of usually green or brownish color. Its flesh is juicy, soft, and light green in which small edible seeds are present.
And, what does Hardy kiwi taste like? Its taste is sweet like other kiwis. You can eat it without peeling its outer skin, and it will delight you a lot.
When is Hardy kiwi in season? In general, the season of hardy kiwi is late summer. So, you can enjoy this little fruit in the months from July to September.
Fuzzy Kiwi
Actinidia Deliciosa, commonly known as the fuzzy kiwi, is native to California and southern China. Its outer skin is surrounded by many fuzzy, tiny, and stiff fibers. Therefore, it is named fuzzy kiwi.
A fully ripen fuzzy kiwi has soft and juicy flesh with small edible seeds. The color of flesh may be light green or slightly brown in appearance.
And, the taste of fuzzy kiwi is deliciously sweet and refreshing. But, you should not eat its outer skin.
The harvesting season of fuzzy kiwi is late October or early November. So, you can enjoy this fruit berry in winter.
Green Kiwi
It is known as green kiwi because of its soft greenish flesh. However, the color of the outer skin is light brown with tiny fuzzy hairs.
Green kiwi is sweet in taste with a slight hint of tartness. And therefore, it is popular in the making of salads and desserts.
The harvesting season of green kiwi is late march. So, the peak season of green kiwi is mid-April extending till June.
Golden Kiwi
Actinidia chinensis, usually known as the golden kiwi, is native to China. It is an oval-shaped fruit berry having soft, vibrant yellow flesh.
Golden kiwi has smooth brown skin with bright yellowish juicy flesh. Unlike other kiwis, this variant has fewer seeds in its flesh or pulp.
The taste of golden kiwi is sweeter than green kiwi. Thus, the golden kiwi is unique due to its texture, flavor, and bright yellow color.
Golden kiwi is readily available in the summer season. So, you can enjoy this delicious and attractive fruit in the summer months.
Nutritional Benefits of Kiwi
Although kiwi is not a citrus fruit, but despite of that kiwi is rich in nutrients. One can meet its daily mineral and vitamin requirements by the consumption of kiwi in the diet.
Kiwi is lower in fats, and also it doesn’t contain saturated fat. But, it has omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for human health. So, kiwi is a healthy food and also beneficial for the human body.
In addition, kiwi is a rich source of vitamins like A, C, D, E, and K. And, it also provides vitamin B6, and folate in trace amount. These vitamins are essential in the proper metabolism of the body.
Kiwi has minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper. Minerals keep your heart, muscles, and bones strong and healthy.
So, kiwi is not only an exotic fruit but also it has numerous nutritional health benefits on the human body.
What You Can Do Different with Kiwi?
Kiwi is not a citrus fruit, but it is widely used in food recipes. It is prevalent in sweet as well as savory foods because of its dynamic and refreshing taste.
Kiwi goes great in your sweet treats, and it also enhances the flavor of savory food dishes. In short, kiwi is a fruit that you can use in many ways. Here are some delicious kiwi food ideas that you can try in your home kitchen.
- The soft and bright colored flesh of kiwi adds a dynamic taste and look to your fruit salads. Kiwi salad is a great way to incorporate the nutritional benefits of this fruit into your diet.
- Moreover, you can use the slices of kiwi as a topping of desserts, cakes, muffins, and much more. And as a topping of cheesecakes, it really adds the overall flavor.
- Besides this, you can prepare a mouth-watering kiwi salsa. It goes amazing along with savory food recipes.
- And, making kiwi juice is another way to enjoy this little exotic fruit in your diet. You can also use it in other fruit shakes.
- Also, you can use kiwi as a luscious filling of dumplings. In addition, many people use kiwi puree in the making of bread. It will surely delight you a lot.
Final Thoughts About Is Kiwi A Citrus Fruit
Is kiwi a citrus fruit? No, kiwi is not a citrus fruit because citrus fruits belong to the citrus family, while kiwi is a true berry. However, kiwi also has some similarities to citrus fruits.
Climate conditions, high citric acid content and taste of kiwi is similar to that of citruses. But, despite that, kiwi is not a citrus fruit.