Kiwi not only comes in the familiar bright green variety, but also a sunny golden color. They both look about the same outside, with a fuzzy brown skin. Cut open, you can see the difference, but is the color the only thing that separates the two? No, the green and golden kiwi taste different, and have a slightly different texture. They were developed for agricultural production at different times.
Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) is more properly called Kiwifruit to distinguish it from the New Zealand bird, but most American’s simply call it Kiwi. It is also known as the Chinese Gooseberry. That name reflects its botanical origins, as its seeds were collected in 1904 by Isabel Fraser in the upper regions of the Yangtze River in southern China.1 Fraser was on vacation from teaching school in New Zealand, and returned home with the Kiwi seeds which propagated, and gave birth to an entire industry. Until very recently all commercially produced Kiwi came from vines grown from that original stock of seeds.
The familiar green variety, whose name is “Hayward,” was developed in 1924 in New Zealand. In 1940 commercial growing and marketing of the fruit began. In the 1970’s they began to be grown in California and are now commonly available in the United States. Currently, Italy is the largest producer of Kiwi in the world, followed by New Zealand, Chile, France, Greece, the United States, Portugal and Spain. 2
The golden “Chinabelle” is a more recent cultivar that took eleven years to develop. Some unusual kiwi fruits from China were discovered with small yellow fruits, and these were hybridized with the green variety. This was accomplished by the New Zealand Crown Research Institute.
Outside, you can tell the two varieties apart if you pay attention. Both are about the size of a large hen’s egg with brown skin. The green kiwi is slightly fuzzier, and symmetrically oval. The golden kiwi has a smoother skin and a small nub or point on one end.
Cut them open, and of course, you immediately notice that they are different colors. But they also taste quite different. The green kiwi has sometimes been described as tasting like a strawberry banana. It is slightly tart, with a soft but slightly grainy pulp, similar to a ripe pear. The entire fruit is edible, but some people do not care for the fuzziness of the skin.
The golden kiwi’s skin is smoother, so some people find this skin more palatable. The golden variety is much sweeter, and the pulp is softer. It is sort of like eating a mushy fruit salad.
Personally, I prefer the green one. I like the tart taste, and don’t care for the softness of the golden pulp.
The fruits are nutritionally the same. Kiwi is a good source of vitamins C, A and E, is high in potassium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. Minimal processing (cutting, freezing) and short term storage does not affect the food value significantly. 3
If you are allergic to latex, you are likely to also be allergic to kiwi. 3
1 Zespri
2. World Horticultural Trade and U.S. Export Opportunities
3. WH Foods
