Skin Kiwi In An Instant With A Simple Spoon Trick

Love kiwi flesh, hate kiwi fuzz? Here's a tip that might just change your life: You can peel a kiwi in about 30 seconds with a spoon. 

If you just said, "Well, duh," congratulations: You must be one of the lucky ones who learned how to easily remove the tropical fruit's peel in grade school. If you've been muddling along with a vegetable peeler, on the other hand, now is the time to try an easier way.

To snack on some kiwi sans skin, grab a paring knife, a spoon, and a ripe kiwi. Cut the fruit in half lengthwise and scoop out each bite with your spoon. That's it. The fruit will easily separate from the exterior.

If you'd rather peel a kiwi for later use, you can slice off each end with your paring knife and slide a spoon between the skin and the flesh, which can then be removed (sometimes perfectly smooth). In a pinch, you don't even need the knife. Skip the slicing and use force to push the spoon under the skin. A few flicks of the wrist later, and you'll have a peeled kiwi.

You have a peeled kiwi. Now what? The most obvious answer — and one that's as easy and intuitive as the spoon-peeling hack — is to simply slice it up and eat it plain. Without the sour, fuzzy skin, kiwis are a sweet, smooth snack.

Peeling kiwi with a spoon also makes it quickly available as an ideal ingredient to add to a wide range of desserts. It doesn't just have a bright, tasty flavor — it has a jewel-like color that looks great on the plate. That's why it is such a popular choice for fruit tarts. (While it might sound intimidating, some recipes for strawberry-kiwi tarts only require three steps.) If you want to think (and eat) more outside the box, you could always try a kiwi, lime, and avocado cheesecake. The tropical gets laid out on top for a gorgeous garnish. And who says a cocktail can't also be a dessert? Save a verdant slice for a garnish while you muddle the rest for a kiwi martini. 

You can start your day with peeled kiwi, too. Any bowl of yogurt and granola, overnight oats, or even cereal can benefit from a few slices. It's not just delicious — it's rich in vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. 

All this talk of peeling kiwis might make you wonder if there's something wrong with eating the skin. There isn't! Kiwi skin is packed with nutrition — and many people find it delicious.

Eating the whole kiwi instead of skipping the skin boosts your fiber intake by as much as 50%. Kiwi skin is also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and folate. You're not sacrificing flavor for health, either. Kiwi skin is tart but tasty. 

It's not all good news, however. People predisposed to kidney stones might want to skip the kiwi skins. "They're high in oxalates, which can increase the chance of developing kidney stones in people with a history of them," dietitian Gillian Culbertson told the Cleveland Clinic. 

If you can't handle the texture but still want in on the nutritional benefits, try golden kiwis. They're a lot less fuzzy than their green relatives. Still too hairy? Blend the skin into a smoothie: All of the folate, none of the fuzz.