Kiwi fruit actually originated in China and has existed as early as the 12th century during the Song Dynasty. Originally, they were known as Chinese gooseberries.

In Chinese, “kiwi fruit” is called 猕猴桃 (mí hóu táo), which translates to “macaque peach” or “monkey peach.”

They didn’t really reach New Zealand until the 20th century. In the 1950s, an exporter in New Zealand decided to rename the unpopular gooseberries to kiwi fruit.

In Australia and New Zealand, if you say “kiwi,” most people will think you’re talking about the bird or a New Zealander — not the fruit.

Kiwi fruit started to become popular in Great Britain and the United States when Allied soldiers were stationed in New Zealand during World War II. They were first exported to Great Britain and then to California in the 1960s.

While most people don’t eat the brown skin of a kiwi, it is completely edible.

Kiwi contains an enzyme called actinidin, which is a natural meat tenderizer.

Kiwi is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, and contains moderate amounts of vitamin E. The gold variety of kiwi fruit actually has much more vitamin C but loses much of its vitamin K.

China is the world’s leading exporter of kiwi fruit, supplying about half of the world’s total. New Zealand comes in second, followed by Italy, Greece, Iran, and Chile.