Kiwifruit, carbohydrate availability, and the glycemic response.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing biochemical composition and in vitro digestive mechanisms
PubMed 23394992 · doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-394294-4.00014-6
What was done
Review summarizing data on the carbohydrate and fiber composition of kiwifruit, physical properties of its fiber during in vitro digestion, and in vitro and in vivo estimates of glycemic index.
What was found
Kiwifruit dry matter comprises approximately 10% primary cell walls (nonstarch polysaccharides), 80% available carbohydrate (glucose, fructose, sucrose), and 10% digestible protein. In vitro digestion showed dietary fiber swelled to four times its original volume. Packed remnants reduced the rate of glucose diffusion by about 40% and profoundly reduced digesta mixing. Both in vitro and in vivo assessments showed low glycemic index; 100g of whole fruit had a glycemic effect equivalent to about 5g (1 teaspoon) of glucose.
Why it matters
Explains the physical mechanisms by which kiwifruit fiber retards carbohydrate digestion and diffusion, supporting its low glycemic impact for dietary management of diabetes.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review with primarily in vitro mechanistic data, providing no specific clinical trial details, sample sizes, participant characteristics, or precise in vivo numerical values.
Cited by
- supports The fiber in whole fruit slows fructose breakdown and absorption compared to high-fructose corn syrup, which overwhelms the liver in large amounts.