Why do sungold kiwis never sting the tongue, while green kiwis can?
I've been buying ripe sungold kiwis (from New Zealand) and green kiwis (from Italy) for at least 5 years, and have noticed that sungolds never sting, while the green ones sometimes do.
Why? Are they different cultivars or varieties? Which is the correct term, BTW?
Best Answer
The "sungold" kiwifruits are certainly a specific cultivar of kiwi. I don't know enough to tell you if all the green kiwis you are buying are from the same cultivar or not.
Also, notice that cultivars of the same plant are rarely "pure" enough to always have the exact same chemical characteristics, and sometimes even a pure cultivar will express different levels of a given chemical in different growing conditions. For an example of the first, I have observed peppers from the same seed stock, sown in the same bed, to have different heat, sometimes it can even happen that two different fruits of the same plant have different heat. For the second, a watermelon's sugar content will be very dependent on the amount of sun received during growth.
Kiwifruit contains an enzyme which attacks protein, and that's what produces the stinging - your mouth's proteins are being injured. The levels in kiwi are much lower than in fruits like pineapple though, so frequently the effect is not present at noticeable levels. I don't know of a very special reason why they are never noticeable in the sungold variety, it's possible that it was bred for this purpose (along with the higher sugar content) or just that it is an evolutionary spandrel.
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Quick Answer about "Why do sungold kiwis never sting the tongue, while green kiwis can?"
Kiwifruit contains an enzyme which attacks protein, and that's what produces the stinging - your mouth's proteins are being injured. The levels in kiwi are much lower than in fruits like pineapple though, so frequently the effect is not present at noticeable levels.What is the difference between Golden Kiwi and green kiwi?
The green kiwi has a fuzzy brown skin and oval shape. Gold kiwifruit, in contrast, has smooth, hairless skin that's a nice golden-brown color. Slicing the fruit in half reveals even more differences. Green kiwifruit has, as one would expect, a green flesh with black seeds.Which kiwi fruit is best green or gold?
According to research, the golden kiwifruit has nearly double the amount of vitamin C, enough to meet the daily requirement. As an added bonus, this beautiful fruit is excellent for the skin! In terms of dietary fiber, the green kiwifruit has 1.5 times more than its golden cousin.Do kiwis hurt your tongue?
Kiwifruit is a common cause of oral allergy syndrome, which is a reaction that involves local allergic reactions around the mouth, lips, tongue, and throat. The first signs of a kiwi allergy are usually mild and may include a prickly, itchy, or tingling feeling in and around the mouth.Is SunGold kiwi genetically modified?
"No, it is an absolutely natural grown product. It was started roughly 15 years ago with a root stock that has been taken from China and brought to New Zealand. It is completely New Zealand-owned root stock."You've Been Eating Kiwis All Wrong
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Answer 2
Actinidain is responsible of that itch you mention. Actinidain is an enzyme present in kiwi fruits. The levels varies on cultivars.
Actinidia deliciosa (the most common cultivar of green kiwi fruit) has higher levels of actinidain than Actinidia chinensis (golden kiwi fruit).
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