You Are What You Eat: Kiwi Creations

Each week, we'll be offering original recipes and unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Kiwi is a popular fruit-salad topper at my house. We love it. It's sweet, a bit sour, and superbly healthy.

Kiwi tops the list when it comes to SuperFoods. From a study of 27 different fruits, kiwi was named one of the most nutritionally dense, says Stephanie Dean, R.D., dietitian with Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. It's full of antioxidants, vitamin E, and lutein and can ward off vision problems, prevent blood clots, and lower cholesterol almost effectively as the SuperFood barley.

Dr. Steven Pratt calls kiwi one of the newest SuperFoods in his trendsetting book SuperFoods Healthstyle, but that doesn't 'mean kiwi is new to the nutrition scene. A two-piece serving of the fruit has twice the vitamin C of an orange -- also a SuperFood -- and as much potassium as a banana. It has as much fiber as one serving of bran flakes, all for about 100 calories, and it serves as a good source of magnesium. Kiwi is also a low-fat, sodium-free fruit.

It gets better.

New studies indicate that kiwi plays an important role in cancer prevention, can benefit the heart, and is a good supplement for diabetic diets. In all, kiwi consumption can lead to a longer, healthier life.

Kiwi is easy to incorporate into your diet. Just cut in half, slice, and eat with a spoon; add slices to a bowl of cereal; or use it to spruce up a fruit salad. Use kiwi to spice up your kids' diet -- click here for bunches of ideas -- and add it to your own dishes too. To get started, give these recipes a try.

Fruity Chicken Salsa
Honeydew Kiwi Cooler
Nutty Shrimp Salad Sandwiches
Nutty Wild Rice Salad with Kiwifruit and Red Grapes

Here's to letting your creative juices flow!