Kiwi May Increase HDL Cholesterol

Regular consumption of kiwi fruit may increase HDL ("good") cholesterol in people with high cholesterol, suggests a study in Taiwan.

Researchers asked 43 adults with high cholesterol to eat two kiwi fruit per day. After eight weeks of consuming the fruit, there were no significant differences in total cholesterol or LDL ("bad") cholesterol from baseline levels. However, HDL cholesterol increased significantly, and the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol decreased significantly. In addition, blood levels of vitamin C and vitamin E increased significantly compared to baseline.

Previous research suggests that eating two or three kiwi fruit per day may reduce platelet aggregation and blood triglycerides levels in people with normal cholesterol levels.
More research is needed to determine whether eating kiwi fruit may lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in people with or without high cholesterol.

For more information about kiwi fruit, please visit Natural Standard's Foods, Herbs & Supplements database.

References

1. Chang WH, Liu JF. Effects of kiwifruit consumption on serum lipid profiles and antioxidative status in hyperlipidemic subjects. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009 Dec;60(8):709-16. View Abstract
2. Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. http://www.naturalstandard.com/
http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/