Ever Heard of *Golden* Kiwis? Here’s Why an RD Says You’re About To Fall in Love

If your food routine has become so familiar that you could navigate the grocery store with your eyes closed and still end up with the same foods in your cart, allow us to make the case for adding one new item to your shopping list.

For this new addition, you’ll want to make a right turn toward the produce aisle, and head over to the kiwis. But instead of reaching for their green counterpart, this time grab the 2.0 version—more specifically, Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit (spoiler: you can try them for free—keep reading to find out how).

“A golden kiwi provides the sweetness that we are all looking for when trying to elevate our meals, both aesthetically and nutritionally speaking.”

“[SunGold kiwis are] a brightly charged and velvety fruit that refreshes and hydrates your taste buds with each bite,” says registered dietitian Tracy Lockwood Beckerman. “A golden kiwi provides the sweetness that we are all looking for when trying to elevate snack time and meals, both aesthetically and nutritionally speaking. SunGold kiwis harness a combination of more than 20 vitamins and minerals in just one serving (two medium kiwifruit). Plus, the golden pop of color automatically makes any meal look more enticing.”

In case that’s not enough of a glowing recommendation to earn the fruit a spot on your grocery list, Beckerman is breaking down a few more golden kiwi health benefits below.

Keep scrolling for three, RD-approved golden kiwi benefits.

The taste

Zespri SunGold kiwis are sweeter and less tart than their green cousin, and in Beckerman’s opinion, they taste more refreshing and tropical, too. And because you can literally get a pack for free, there’s no reason not to try one yourself.

Thanks to their sweet, bright flavor, they’re basically your tastebuds’ new BFF, according to Beckerman. “If you ask me, because [they are] literally mimicking the colors of the sun, the fruit tastes brighter and warms you up more than the regular green kiwi,” she says. (P.S. Beckerman’s not the only fan of these golden guys—they’re editor-approved, too.)

The nutrients

While vitamin C is famous for being the immune-support vitamin, Beckerman points out that eating foods high in vitamin C can also lead to a higher concentration of collagen in the body, benefiting your skin, muscles, ligaments, and more.

“These golden kiwis literally have vitamin C busting out of their peel,” Beckerman says (maybe not literally, but you get the idea). “Two medium SunGold kiwifruits (a serving) have 290 percent the recommended daily value of vitamin C—that’s three times more vitamin C than an orange.”

And there’s more. This study found that eating two SunGold kiwifruit before high-intensity cycling reduced exercise-induced stress, making them a great post-workout snack. And Zespri-funded research also found that eating three SunGold kiwifruit daily helped with constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain.

Lastly, a recent trial supported by Zespri even suggests that having two SunGold kiwis per day for four weeks can improve subjective mood and well-being in otherwise healthy young adults with low vitamin C levels. Yep, we’re still talking about fruit here.

The on-the-go factor

As if summertime flavors and solid nutritional benefits weren’t enough, golden kiwis also score major points for being a great on-the-go snack. You can enjoy SunGold kiwi with the traditional cut and scoop method, or go with Beckerman’s personal favorite method: “One of the biggest appeals of the golden kiwi is the unique ability to eat the peel,” Beckerman says. “Just like biting into an apple, you can sink your teeth right into the skin of the SunGold kiwi and get on with your day.”

That’s right, golden kiwis’ skin isn’t fuzzy like green kiwis’, making chomping into them like an apple that much more appetizing. Plus, according to this Zespri-supported review paper, eating the skin along with the flesh nearly doubles the fiber content per serving (two medium kiwifruit) of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit and delivers 34 percent more folate and 32 percent more vitamin E.

And that same portability also means they’re a sustainable option, too. “They travel easily, and the outer skin protects it from any major bruising,” Beckerman says. “This is a zero waste snack because you can eat the entire fruit including the skin—no scraps or extra garbage.” Have you updated your grocery list yet?

Want to get in on the golden kiwi benefits yourself? Click here to claim your free pack of Zespri SunGold kiwis.

Top photo: Zespri Kiwifruit, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman; Art: Well+Good Creative