A report in Commercial Horticulture (Feb-Mar, 2026) says the consumption of kiwifruit boosts collagen levels and increases skin health and thickness in humans, according to research at Otago University.
A study lead by Professor Margaret Vissers found that collagen production and skin renewal directly relate to the amount of vitamin C consumed. In the research, 12 participants in Christchurch and 12 in Hamburg, Germany, where there is specialised facilities for measuring vitamin C levels in skin, were instructed to eat two gold kiwifruit per day, giving them 250 milligrams of vitamin C, over an eight-week period.
Measurements after the trial showed vitamin C levels in the participants’ blood plasma had been boosted to saturation levels and had also increased in all skin layers, particularly the outer epidermal layer.
“The other substantial finding showed that increased skin vitamin C was associated with a significant increase in the participants’ skin thickness, reflecting collagen production and an upsurge in the regeneration of epidermal cells, or skin renewal,” said Professor Vissers. “We are the first to demonstrate that vitamin C in the blood circulation penetrates into all layers of the skin and is associated with improved skin function.”
While kiwifruit was used in this trial, the researchers say they would expect that other foods rich in vitamin C, like fresh fruit and vegetables, citrus, berry fruit, capsicums and broccoli, would very likely produce similar results.
The study was published in the international Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Read more here.
