How to Choose a Ripe Kiwi Fruit

Select ripe kiwis to best enjoy their vibrant flavor.

A ripe kiwi -- or Chinese gooseberry -- can offer a brilliantly sweet flavor along with some important nutrients. A single kiwi can provide you with 141 percent of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C, 46 percent of your vitamin K, 11 percent of your fiber and 8 percent of your potassium, according to SELF Nutrition Data. To fully enjoy one of these fruits, select one that is perfectly ripe, as a ripe kiwi will be significantly sweeter and juicier than an underripe or overripe specimen.

Instructions

1. Pick up a kiwi and squeeze it very gently, using the palm of your hand and the pad of your thumb to apply light pressure. Do not squeeze the kiwi with your fingertips, as this can bruise a kiwi that otherwise would have been perfect. Feel for any soft, squishy spots. A ripe kiwi should be slightly soft and should give a little bit under your gentle pressure, but it should not be overly soft in any area.

2. Examine the kiwi carefully. Its skin should be taut and smooth, not wrinkled. It should be consistently colored with no mold, discoloration, bruises, damage to the skin or other visible imperfections. If it shows discoloration, mold or other signs of deterioration, it is probably significantly overripe.

3. Store your ripe kiwis in the refrigerator to keep them from becoming overripe. Use the refrigerated ripe kiwis within 3 days.

References

• Iowa State University Extension: Kiwi
• Families.com: Top Ten Kitchen Tips #2 -- Choosing Fruits and Vegetables
• Preferred Consumer: Kiwi: A Health-Packed Tasty Choice
• SELFNutritionData: Kiwi Fruit, Fresh, Raw

Resources

• Epicurean.com: Kiwi Recipes