Sweet and sour, kiwi is packed with antioxidants

I sliced a kiwifruit this morning, and the burst of fluorescent green filled me with a sense of virtue.

- NAHDITA IYER

It got me contemplating why the colour is universally regarded as a symbol of health and goodness. Consider all the green-labelled items marketed as flag-bearers of well-being-green smoothies, matcha green tea, green goddess dressing, green juice, green salads, and more.

One reason likely stems from colour psychology, where we instinctively associate green with freshness, natural vitality, and vibrancy in the environment. This connection extends to our perception of food, translating green into notions of freshness, wholesomeness and minimal processing.

Beyond mere perception, the reality of many green vegetables and fruits aligns with this symbolism. Most of these are full of essential nutrients and vitamins, earning them the label of superfoods think kale, green tea, spirulina and avocado. The food industry strategically capitalises on the visual appeal of the colour green, leading consumers to believe that green products (or even packaging) are synonymous with freshness, healthiness, and nutrition. It's a fascinating interplay of psychology and reality that shapes our dietary choices and preferences.

Perception and reality of green being healthy are very well aligned when it comes to the kiwifruit. Dr William Li, Harvard-trained cancer specialist, whose TED talk Can We Eat To Beat Cancer has over 3.4 million views, believes that eating just one kiwifruit a day can reduce oxidative damage of DNA by 60%. This means lowering the chances of chronic inflammation, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and such other chronic diseases. Just this fact is enough to elevate kiwifruit to a super-fruit in my eyes.