Kiwi Good For Heart Health

TAIPEI, Taiwan Regular consumption of kiwifruit might exert beneficial effects on the antioxidative status and the risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in hyperlipidemic subjects (Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009;60(8):709-716). A total of 43 subjects with hyperlipidemia, including 13 males and 30 females were asked to consume two kiwifruit per day for eight weeks. No significant differences from baseline to eight weeks of the intervention were detected for triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol. However, after eight weeks of consumption of kiwifruit, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration was significantly increased and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol /HDL ratio and total cholesterol/HDL ratio were significantly decreased. Vitamin C and vitamin E also increased significantly. In addition, the lag time of LDL oxidation and malondialdehyde + 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal had significantly changed at four and eight weeks during the kiwifruit intervention.