Chuseok, Korea's autumn harvest holiday, usually means eating more than usual. Once the ancestral rites are over, the table fills with jeon, or pan-fried savory pancakes, japchae stir-fried glass noodles and braised short ribs. Dishes rarely served at other times of the year appear all at once. Songpyeon rice cakes and other snacks are always part of the spread. Picking at them one by one while chatting with family makes it easy to overeat.
The problem is that eating until full does not mean nutrients have been consumed in sufficient or balanced amounts. Chuseok tables in particular carry a wide range of dishes heavy in carbohydrates, such as songpyeon and japchae, alongside high-fat foods such as jeon and braised short ribs. Eating mainly these dishes leaves less room for fruit and vegetables. The result is a full stomach without enough of the vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber the body needs.
Solutions for Excess Calories and Insufficient Nutrients
This is hardly limited to the holidays. Many people today favor high-calorie foods or eat little fruit and few vegetables. According to the 2024 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 15.7% of people consumed excess calories, while 16.7% fell short on essential nutrients. That means roughly one in three Koreans, or 32.4%, faces a nutritional imbalance.
Is there an eating habit that helps both groups? Experts suggest that one kiwifruit at any point in the day, such as breakfast, can be one answer. Those consuming too many calories can feel fuller and cut back on intake, while those falling short on nutrients can make up the gap. "Kiwifruit is a nutrient-dense fruit that contains a balanced mix of nutrients modern diets tend to lack, such as vitamin C and dietary fiber," said Woo Chang-yoon, an internal medicine specialist.
Woo stressed that kiwifruit is a good way to supplement essential nutrients even during holidays, when high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods are hard to avoid. "Adding kiwifruit to a holiday menu weighted toward sodium, saturated fat and refined carbohydrates can help restore nutritional balance," he said.
One Kiwi Covers the Daily Vitamin C Recommendation
Kiwifruit contains a range of nutrients centered on vitamin C, including folate, potassium, vitamin E and dietary fiber. Zespri SunGold kiwifruit has 152 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams. Given that a single gold kiwi typically weighs 100 to 120 grams, one piece alone can meet the 100 mg daily recommended vitamin C intake for adults.
Researchers say adequate vitamin C not only reduces fatigue but also helps strengthen immunity. When a team at New Zealand's University of Otago had adults with a history of respiratory infections eat two SunGold kiwifruit a day for six weeks, vitamin C levels returned to normal in about 80% of participants. Inflammation markers, fatigue and respiratory symptoms also declined.
While gold kiwifruit is high in vitamin C, green kiwifruit is rich in dietary fiber, at about 2.3 grams per 100 grams. Fiber intake plays an important role in regular bowel movements and gut health. It can be especially helpful for people troubled by constipation.
Sweet but Relatively Low on the Glycemic Index
Many people know kiwifruit is healthy but avoid it, worried that its sweetness will raise blood sugar. Industry officials say kiwifruit has a lower glycemic index than other fruits. According to Australia's Monash University, green kiwifruit has a GI of 51 and SunGold kiwifruit 48. A score of 55 or below is generally classified as low GI. Although figures vary by variety, ripeness and measurement method, watermelon, pineapple, peaches and persimmons are known to have higher GI values than kiwifruit.
Industry officials attribute this to the fruit's dietary fiber. When consumed, fiber absorbs water in the stomach and expands. The expanded fiber envelops other food and slows digestion. In the intestines, it breaks nutrients into smaller units. Glucose is then absorbed into the body more slowly. Eating kiwifruit during or after a meal can therefore prevent sharp swings in blood sugar and reduce hunger and fatigue before and after eating.
"This Chuseok, it may be worth thinking less about how much to cut back and more about what to add," an industry official said. "A small change, such as adding one plate of fruit among the abundant holiday dishes, can be a way to bring nutritional balance to the table."
