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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 May 18;12(5):1453.
doi: 10.3390/nu12051453.

The Effects on Immune Function and Digestive Health of Consuming the Skin and Flesh of Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit (Actinidia Chinensis var. Chinensis 'Zesy002') in Healthy and IBS-Constipated Individuals

Sarah L Eady  1 , Alison J Wallace  1 , Duncan I Hedderley  2 , Kerry L Bentley-Hewitt  2 , Christine A Butts  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effects on Immune Function and Digestive Health of Consuming the Skin and Flesh of Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit (Actinidia Chinensis var. Chinensis 'Zesy002') in Healthy and IBS-Constipated Individuals

Sarah L Eady et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that results in constipation (IBS-C) or diarrhoea with abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea and bloating. Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) are nutrient-dense fruit with a number of reported health benefits that include lowering glycaemic response, improving cardiovascular and inflammatory biomarkers, and enhancing gut comfort and laxation. This study investigated the effect of consuming three whole Zespri® SunGold kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis 'Zesy002') with or without skin on cytokine production and immune and gut health in healthy people and those with IBS-C symptoms. This study enrolled thirty-eight participants in a 16 week randomized cross-over study (19 healthy and 19 participants with IBS-C). Participants were randomized to consume either three kiwifruit without eating the skin or three kiwifruit including the skin for 4 weeks each, with a 4 week washout in between each intervention. There was a significant decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, for both the healthy and the IBS-C participants when they consumed whole kiwifruit and skin, and also for the healthy participants when they ate whole kiwifruit without the skin (p < 0.001). The kiwifruit interventions increased bowel frequency and significantly reduced the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale constipation and Birmingham IBS pain scores for both participant groups. We have demonstrated that consuming the skin of SunGold kiwifruit might have beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health that are not produced by consuming the flesh alone.

Keywords: gut health; immune health; immune markers; kiwifruit.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagram showing study enrolment and reasons for exclusion or withdrawal from this study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bar graph of blood cytokine concentrations (pg/mL) of the participants consuming SunGold kiwifruit with and without skin, grouped into healthy individuals and those with IBS-C.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Eating habits at standard meal times reported by study participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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