If you eat oranges for their vitamin C, bananas for their potassium and apples for their fiber, you may want to pick up some kiwifruit on your next shopping trip.

Kiwis--also known as kiwi fruit or Chinese gooseberries--have twice as much vitamin C as oranges, and are also a great sources of vitamins K and E, potassium and fiber. The most effective way to absorb these nutrients is to eat the fruit fresh.

The Chinese have harvested and eaten kiwifruit, known to them as “yang tao,” since ancient times, according to “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.” Missionaries carried the fruit to New Zealand in the early 20th century, where they became known as Chinese gooseberries.

Kiwis are natives of the China’s Yangzte River Valley, but today are grown commercially worldwide. The fuzzy brown-skinned fruit with the tasty green center is loaded with nutritional benefits that rival those of many other fruits.

Kiwifruits, or kiwi, is an edible berry about the size of a chicken egg. It features a fuzzy peel that surrounds a green fruit with black seeds and a creamy white center. Kiwis taste slightly sweet and tangy with a creamy texture.

Kiwifruit originated in China where it was once considered a delicacy. Kiwi was introduced into North America in the 1960s; since then, many have enjoyed the unique taste of kiwi which blends a combination of strawberries, pineapple and bananas, notes the author of the book, "The World's Healthiest Foods."