Kiwifruit
Also called kiwifruit, kiwi, kiwi fruit, green kiwifruit, gold kiwifruit, SunGold kiwifruit.
Best grade C across 12 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked
The short answer
From 17 sourcesWhole kiwifruit has been tested mainly for constipation: two green kiwifruit a day added about 1.5 complete bowel movements a week from baseline in a 184-person trial, similar to psyllium, and pooled trials gave kiwifruit a small edge. Three a day lowered blood pressure in male smokers, but two a day did not in men with high cholesterol. Kiwifruit is a common food allergen.
Every graded outcome on this page
12 rows · line = participants- CGrade CConstipation: bowel movements, pain and strainingConstipationn 399
- CGrade CStool frequency vs psyllium (pooled trials)Constipationn 192
- CGrade CIBS with constipation: bowel habit and pain (extract)Constipationn 186
- CGrade CComplete bowel movements and gut comfort (psyllium as comparator)Constipationn 184
- CGrade CFatigue and well-being in adults with low vitamin CEnergyn 167
- CGrade CBlood pressure in male smokersBlood pressuren 102
- CGrade CBlood pressure in men with high cholesterolBlood pressuren 85
- CGrade CChronic constipation vs psyllium and prunesConstipationn 75
- CGrade CConstipation symptoms vs psylliumConstipationn 56
- DGrade DFasting glucose, insulin, lipids and blood pressureMetabolic healthn 42
- DGrade DMood disturbance and vitality in adults with low moodMoodn 26
- DGrade DSleep onset, duration and qualitySleepn 24
- 9 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- Largest trial (184 adults)
- 2 green kiwifruit a day added 1.53 complete bowel movements a week from baseline in functional constipation and 1.73 in IBS-C, similar to psyllium, with better gut comfort10
- Constipation (7 trials, 399 people)
- Low-certainty gain in weekly bowel movements vs placebo or psyllium; less abdominal pain1
- Vs psyllium and prunes (75 adults)
- Similar response rates; kiwifruit had the fewest side effects and least dissatisfaction2
- LDL cholesterol (6 RCTs)
- A 2024 meta-analysis found LDL 9.3 mg/dL lower with kiwifruit (95% CI -17.56 to -1.04); weight, triglycerides, total cholesterol and fasting glucose did not change13
- Blood pressure
- -10/-9 mmHg with 3 a day in 102 male smokers; no change with 2 a day in 85 men with high cholesterol45
- Allergy
- One of the most common fruit allergies, from oral itching to anaphylaxis8
What it is
Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is a fibre- and vitamin C-rich fruit; trials gave two or three whole green or gold kiwifruit a day.
Forms, side by side
3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Kiwifruit forms compared
3 forms| 3 forms | Green kiwifruit (Hayward) | Gold kiwifruit (SunGold) | Encapsulated kiwifruit extract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | Not measured; trials tracked bowel habit and blood pressure.25 | Two a day brought plasma vitamin C to saturation within 2 weeks.7 | Not measured.1 |
| GI tolerance | Fewest adverse events of kiwifruit, prunes and psyllium in chronic constipation; no significant adverse events in a 184-person trial.210 | No problems are reported in the abstracts.37 | Pooled data suggest more minor adverse events than placebo (RR 4.58, wide CI).1 |
| Studied for | Constipation, blood pressure, sleep | Constipation, fatigue, mood and well-being | Constipation (3 pooled trials: no change in stool frequency) and IBS-C (575-1,150 mg a day: primary end point missed) |
- Green kiwifruit (Hayward)
- Gold kiwifruit (SunGold)
- Absorption in people
- Two a day brought plasma vitamin C to saturation within 2 weeks.7
- Studied for
- Constipation, fatigue, mood and well-being
- Encapsulated kiwifruit extract
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Trial map
12 graded outcomes, largest study first12 graded outcomes: 9 improved, 1 mixed, 2 no effect. The largest, a 2022 meta-analysis of 399 people on constipation: bowel movements, pain and straining, found an improvement.
1Constipation: bowel movements, pain and straining
Improved · Grade C · Meta-analysis, 399 people, 2022
Adults with constipation in 7 RCTs (82% women)
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constipation: bowel movements, pain and straining | Improved | 399 | Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2022 | Adults with constipation in 7 RCTs (82% women) |
| Stool frequency vs psyllium (pooled trials) | Improved | 192 | Grade C · Meta-analysis, 2024 | Adults with chronic constipation in trials comparing kiwifruit with psyllium |
| IBS with constipation: bowel habit and pain (extract) | Mixed | 186 | Grade C · RCT, 2025 | Adults with IBS-C (Rome III criteria), multicenter |
| Complete bowel movements and gut comfort (psyllium as comparator) | Improved | 184 | Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2023 | Healthy adults (63), functional constipation (60) and IBS-C (61) in New Zealand, Italy and Japan |
| Fatigue and well-being in adults with low vitamin C | Improved | 167 | Grade C · RCT, 2020 | Young adults aged 18 to 35 with plasma vitamin C under 40 µmol/L |
| Blood pressure in male smokers | Improved | 102 | Grade C · RCT, 2013 | Male smokers aged 44 to 74 |
| Blood pressure in men with high cholesterol | No effect | 85 | Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2014 | Men with high cholesterol, mostly normal or prehypertensive blood pressure |
| Chronic constipation vs psyllium and prunes | Improved | 75 | Grade C · RCT, 2021 | US adults with chronic constipation (87% women) |
| Constipation symptoms vs psyllium | Improved | 56 | Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2022 | Adults with functional constipation (11), IBS-C (13) and healthy controls (32) |
| Fasting glucose, insulin, lipids and blood pressure | No effect | 42 | Grade D · RCT, 2022 | Healthy Asian adults |
| Mood disturbance and vitality in adults with low mood | Improved | 26 | Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2025 | Adults aged 18-60 with mild to moderate mood disturbance |
| Sleep onset, duration and quality | Improved | 24 | Grade D · Open-label trial, 2011 | Adults aged 20-55 with self-reported sleep problems (22 women, 2 men) |
Every graded row
12 rowsShowing 12 of 12 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CConstipation: bowel movements, pain and strainingConstipationMore bowel movements, less painMeta-analysis · 7 studies
n 399 · 2022
Improved Vs placebo, weekly spontaneous bowel movements rose by 1.36 (CI -0.44 to 3.16, low certainty) and abdominal pain fell (moderate certainty); vs psyllium, bowel movements rose by 1.01 a week and stools were softer.
- Design
- Meta-analysis, 7 studies, n = 399, 2022
- Population
- Adults with constipation in 7 RCTs (82% women)
- Form
- Whole kiwifruit or kiwifruit extracts
- Dose
- Varied by trial
- Duration
- Varied by trial
- Source
- Reference 1 · PubMed 36247043 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CStool frequency vs psyllium (pooled trials)ConstipationSmall edge over psylliumMeta-analysis
n 192 · 2024
Improved Kiwifruit gave 0.36 more bowel movements a week than psyllium (95% CI 0.24 to 0.48); prunes did not differ from psyllium.
- Design
- Meta-analysis, n = 192, 2024
- Population
- Adults with chronic constipation in trials comparing kiwifruit with psyllium
- Form
- Whole kiwifruit vs psyllium
- Dose
- Varied by trial
- Duration
- Varied by trial
- Source
- Reference 11 · PubMed 37905980 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CIBS with constipation: bowel habit and pain (extract)ConstipationPrimary end point missedRCT
n 186 · 2025
Mixed The combined primary end point was not met (24% vs 26%), but more people on the extract had more frequent bowel movements (54% vs 36%), better stool form (87% vs 73%) and less pain (74% vs 59%).
- Design
- RCT, n = 186, 2025
- Population
- Adults with IBS-C (Rome III criteria), multicenter
- Form
- Proprietary green kiwifruit extract vs placebo
- Dose
- 1,150 mg a day (575 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks, then 575 mg a day for 4 weeks
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Source
- Reference 14 · PubMed 40786128 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CComplete bowel movements and gut comfort (psyllium as comparator)ConstipationAbout 1.5 more bowel movements a weekCrossover RCT
n 184 · 2023
Improved From baseline, kiwifruit added 1.53 complete spontaneous bowel movements a week in functional constipation and 1.73 in IBS-C, a clinically relevant gain, and improved gut comfort scores; bowel movement frequency did not differ from psyllium in any week (full text); no significant adverse events.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 184, 2023
- Population
- Healthy adults (63), functional constipation (60) and IBS-C (61) in New Zealand, Italy and Japan
- Form
- Green kiwifruit vs psyllium
- Dose
- 2 green kiwifruit a day (psyllium 7.5 g a day)
- Duration
- 4 weeks per arm, 4-week washout
- Source
- Reference 10 · PubMed 36537785 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CFatigue and well-being in adults with low vitamin CEnergyLess fatigueRCT
n 167 · 2020
Improved Plasma vitamin C reached saturation within 2 weeks; kiwifruit significantly lowered fatigue and raised well-being, with mood showing a trend; vitamin C tablets gave similar but not identical changes.
- Design
- RCT, n = 167, 2020
- Population
- Young adults aged 18 to 35 with plasma vitamin C under 40 µmol/L
- Form
- Gold kiwifruit vs 250 mg vitamin C tablet vs placebo
- Dose
- 2 SunGold kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Source
- Reference 7 · PubMed 32971991 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CBlood pressure in male smokersBlood pressureLower BPRCT
n 102 · 2013
Improved Systolic pressure fell 10 mmHg and diastolic 9 mmHg in the kiwifruit group vs control, with 15% less platelet aggregation and 11% lower ACE activity.
- Design
- RCT, n = 102, 2013
- Population
- Male smokers aged 44 to 74
- Form
- Whole kiwifruit vs an antioxidant-rich diet vs control
- Dose
- 3 kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 22258209 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CBlood pressure in men with high cholesterolBlood pressureNo changeCrossover RCT
n 85 · 2014
No effect No differences in blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output or peripheral resistance.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 85, 2014
- Population
- Men with high cholesterol, mostly normal or prehypertensive blood pressure
- Form
- Green kiwifruit plus healthy diet vs healthy diet alone
- Dose
- 2 green kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 4 weeks per arm
- Source
- Reference 5 · PubMed 24655490 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CChronic constipation vs psyllium and prunesConstipationAs good as psyllium, fewer side effectsRCT
n 75 · 2021
Improved Responder rates were similar across all three; kiwifruit improved stool consistency and straining, had the fewest adverse events and the least dissatisfaction (p = 0.02).
- Design
- RCT, n = 75, 2021
- Population
- US adults with chronic constipation (87% women)
- Form
- Green kiwifruit vs psyllium vs prunes
- Dose
- Not stated in the abstract
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Source
- Reference 2 · PubMed 34074830 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CConstipation symptoms vs psylliumConstipationFewer symptomsCrossover RCT
n 56 · 2022
Improved Both reduced constipation scores (p = 0.004) and raised weekly complete bowel movements (p = 0.014); gold kiwifruit also reduced straining (p = 0.021).
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 56, 2022
- Population
- Adults with functional constipation (11), IBS-C (13) and healthy controls (32)
- Form
- Gold kiwifruit vs fibre-matched psyllium
- Dose
- 2 gold kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 4 weeks per arm
- Source
- Reference 3 · PubMed 36235798 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DFasting glucose, insulin, lipids and blood pressureMetabolic healthNo metabolic changeRCT
n 42 · 2022
No effect No between-group changes in fasting glucose, insulin, uric acid, triglycerides or cholesterol; systolic pressure was 2.7 mmHg lower (CI -5.5 to 0.0).
- Design
- RCT, n = 42, 2022
- Population
- Healthy Asian adults
- Form
- 2 kiwifruit with 500 mL carbonated water before breakfast vs water alone
- Dose
- 2 kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 7 weeks
- Source
- Reference 6 · PubMed 35807858 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DMood disturbance and vitality in adults with low moodMoodBetter moodCrossover RCT
n 26 · 2025
Improved Total mood disturbance improved 65.2%, wellbeing 10.5% and vitality 17.3% vs usual diet; plasma vitamin C rose 27.5% and gut symptoms fell 16.2%; no serious adverse events.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 26, 2025
- Population
- Adults aged 18-60 with mild to moderate mood disturbance
- Form
- SunGold kiwifruit vs usual diet (not blinded)
- Dose
- 2 SunGold kiwifruit a day
- Duration
- 4 weeks per period, 2-week washout
- Source
- Reference 15 · PubMed 40284237 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DSleep onset, duration and qualitySleepBetter sleep (uncontrolled)Open-label trial
n 24 · 2011
Improved Sleep quality score (PSQI) fell 42.4%, waking after sleep onset 28.9% and time to fall asleep 35.4%; total sleep time rose 13.4% and sleep efficiency 5.41%.
- Design
- Open-label trial, n = 24, 2011
- Population
- Adults aged 20-55 with self-reported sleep problems (22 women, 2 men)
- Form
- Whole kiwifruit, no control group
- Dose
- 2 kiwifruit 1 hour before bedtime
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Source
- Reference 16 · PubMed 21669584 (opens PubMed)
What the numbers add up to
Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.
Gentlest of the bowel options tested
Industry links
Studied doses
Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.
Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.
Doses studied in human trials
When trials measured an effect
2 outcomes| Outcome | Measured at | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Vitality and mood (adults with low vitamin C) | Within 4 days, peaking around days 14 to 16 | Smartphone surveys every second day in 155 young adults eating 2 SunGold kiwifruit a day vs placebo17 |
| Fatigue and well-being (adults with low vitamin C) | Week 2 (first fortnightly check) | 167-person KiwiC trial; plasma vitamin C also reached saturation within 2 weeks7 |
Interactions and safety
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Interactions
0 agentsNone found in our sources.
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Kiwifruit and your picks, and between your picks.
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Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Kiwifruit.
Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.
Who should be careful
4 groups- Kiwifruit allergy
- Kiwifruit is one of the most common fruit allergies; reactions range from oral allergy syndrome to anaphylaxis, and 13 allergens are identified, some most abundant in fully ripe fruit.8
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Whole kiwifruit is an ordinary food. None of the trials cited here tested kiwifruit or its extracts in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and NCCIH notes that many dietary supplements have not been tested in pregnant women or nursing mothers.91
- Extract capsules
- Pooled trials suggest encapsulated extracts cause more minor side effects than placebo, though the estimate is uncertain.1
- Medicines and surgery
- NCCIH advises telling your health care providers about every supplement you use.9
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
6 answersDoes kiwifruit help constipation?
Does kiwifruit lower cholesterol?
Possibly LDL. A 2024 meta-analysis of 6 trials found LDL about 9.3 mg/dL lower with kiwifruit, with no change in total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose or weight. Only 6 trials were pooled.13
Does kiwifruit lower blood pressure?
Does kiwifruit boost energy?
In 167 young adults with low vitamin C, two gold kiwifruit a day reduced fatigue and improved well-being within 2 weeks.7
Does kiwifruit have side effects?
Allergy is the main risk, from mouth itching to anaphylaxis. In a 184-person trial two green kiwifruit a day caused no significant adverse events, and against psyllium and prunes kiwifruit had the fewest side effects. Extract capsules caused more minor side effects than placebo in pooled trials.81021
Do kiwifruit extract capsules work as well as the fruit?
Sources
17 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
17 sources- 1Kiwifruit and Kiwifruit Extracts for Treatment of Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Meta-analysis Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2022 · PMID 36247043
- 2Exploratory Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Green Kiwifruit, Psyllium, or Prunes in US Patients With Chronic Constipation.RCT Am J Gastroenterol, 2021 · PMID 34074830
- 3Two Gold Kiwifruit Daily for Effective Treatment of Constipation in Adults-A Randomized Clinical Trial.Crossover RCT Nutrients, 2022 · PMID 36235798
- 4Kiwifruit decreases blood pressure and whole-blood platelet aggregation in male smokers.RCT J Hum Hypertens, 2013 · PMID 22258209
- 5Daily kiwifruit consumption did not improve blood pressure and markers of cardiovascular function in men with hypercholesterolemia.Crossover RCT Nutr Res, 2014 · PMID 24655490
- 6Metabolic and Blood Pressure Effects of Consuming Two Kiwifruit Daily for 7 Weeks: A Randomised Controlled Trial.RCT Nutrients, 2022 · PMID 35807858
- 7KiwiC for Vitality: Results of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial Testing the Effects of Kiwifruit or Vitamin C Tablets on Vitality in Adults with Low Vitamin C Levels.RCT Nutrients, 2020 · PMID 32971991
- 8A Comprehensive Review on Kiwifruit Allergy: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Management, and Potential Modification of Allergens Through Processing.Review Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf, 2019 · PMID 33336949
- 9Using Dietary Supplements WiselyFact sheet National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), 2019 · nccih.nih.gov
- 10Consumption of 2 Green Kiwifruits Daily Improves Constipation and Abdominal Comfort-Results of an International Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.Crossover RCT Am J Gastroenterol, 2023 · PMID 36537785
- 11Systematic review and meta-analysis: Foods, drinks and diets and their effect on chronic constipation in adults.Meta-analysis Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2024 · PMID 37905980
- 12The effect of food, vitamin, or mineral supplements on chronic constipation in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Meta-analysis Neurogastroenterol Motil, 2023 · PMID 37243443
- 13The effects of kiwifruit consumption on anthropometric and cardiometabolic indices in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Meta-analysis Food Sci Nutr, 2024 · PMID 39479621
- 14Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind 8-Week Trial on the Efficacy of A Proprietary Kiwifruit Extract on Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome.RCT JGH Open, 2025 · PMID 40786128
- 15SunGold Kiwifruit and Psychological Health (GoKiPH): A Randomised Controlled Crossover Trial.Crossover RCT Nutrients, 2025 · PMID 40284237
- 16Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems.Open-label trial Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2011 · PMID 21669584
- 17Smartphone survey data reveal the timecourse of changes in mood outcomes following vitamin C or kiwifruit intervention in adults with low vitamin C.RCT Br J Nutr, 2024 · PMID 38073290
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
2 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| evidence, key facts, forms, studied doses, who should avoid, time to effect, FAQ, questions, related | Added the 2023 multicentre trial of 184 adults (2 green kiwifruit a day vs psyllium: about 1.5 more complete bowel movements a week from baseline, no different from psyllium, grade C), a 2024 meta-analysis of kiwifruit vs psyllium (n = 192, grade C), a 2025 kiwifruit-extract trial in 186 people with IBS-C (primary end point missed, grade C), a 2025 mood crossover (n = 26, grade D) and a 2011 uncontrolled sleep study (n = 24, grade D). Added a 2024 cardiometabolic meta-analysis (LDL 9.3 mg/dL lower, 6 trials) and a 2023 meta-analysis finding extract supplements did not change stool frequency as key facts, a pregnancy and breastfeeding note (NCCIH), time-to-effect rows from the KiwiC trial and its smartphone follow-up, page questions, goal-hub links and FAQ items on cholesterol, side effects and extracts. Checked for interactions: no LactMed or LiverTox entry for kiwifruit and no NCCIH or MedlinePlus kiwifruit page; none documented, so the list stays empty. Not added: fermented gold kiwi product trials (39519611, 39203808), a children's trial pairing kiwifruit with soccer (39801291), an uncontrolled athlete sleep study without a participant count in the abstract (37242157), and the 2024 meta-analysis as a graded LDL row (no LDL-specific participant count). | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (title, year, journal) and each cited abstract read; numbers taken from the abstracts. Industry links disclosed (Zespri, 2022 gold kiwifruit trial); the null blood-pressure and breakfast trials are shown. Allergy from a 2019 review. No product listing: kiwifruit is a food. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia. Educational information only; it is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.