Healthypedia
Diana Nelson

Surprising Health Benefits Of Strawberry

The exquisite taste and pleasant aroma of strawberries rarely leave anyone indifferent. The juicy fruit quenches thirst and gives your body vitamins and antioxidants.

fresh strawberry health benefits

Strawberries are a delightful fruit that captivates the senses with their bright red color, juicy texture, and sweet aroma. Known for their heart-shaped appearance, they are perfect to share with a loved one or savor on their own. They can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from eating them fresh to using them in jams, smoothies, and desserts. Whether you’re biting into a juicy strawberry on a warm summer day or adding them to your favorite recipe, strawberries are a tasty and versatile fruit that will leave you wanting more.

Strawberry – Nutrition facts

Strawberry has a low energy value, small protein and fat. Medium carbs and sugar and small fibre. The glycemic index of strawberries is low which is good for blood sugar levels. Strawberry contains a high amount of vitamin C, medium manganese and a small amount of potassium.

source: USDA
source: USDA

Strawberry – Bright good news

Strawberries contain different types of health benefits that you might not even know about.

1Promotes heart health

Strawberries are rich in colouring pigments, called anthocyanidins, which have a protective effect on the organism. They are thought to have a number of potential health benefits, including the prevention of inflammatory diseases and heart disease. Observational studies show that regular consumption of berries is associated with fewer cardiovascular-related deaths.

2Can protect against cancer

Research shows that strawberries can help prevent some cancers. The protective effect is thought to be due to a combination of polyphenols, including ellagic acid and ellagitannins, which have been shown to stop cancer cell growth in animal studies. But more human studies are needed to establish the correct method of action and to confirm the effect.

3Blood sugar regulation

Consumption of strawberries slows down glucose absorption and reduces insulin intake, especially when eaten in conjunction with high-carbohydrate foods. This effect is due to the anthocyanins it contains.

Child,Picking,Strawberry,On,Fruit,Farm,Field,On,Sunny,Summer

4May be good for people with type 2 diabetes

As we have mentioned earlier, strawberries have protective plant compounds called polyphenols. Two of them – ellagic acid and ellagitannins – have shown promise in combating several effects of type 2 diabetes. Particularly, they regulate blood sugar levels and regulate blood pressure. But more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans.

5Boosts the immune system

Strawberries are one of those berries that are rich in vitamin C. As the human body is not able to produce vitamin C naturally, it is important for us to turn to natural sources of this vitamin. Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and is an excellent antioxidant. But you probably already know it 🙂

A beneficial effect of vitamin C on recovery has been noted in pneumonia. In older people hospitalised for pneumonia who were found to have very low vitamin C levels, injecting vitamin C reduced the assessment of respiratory symptoms.

In other pneumonia patients, low-dose vitamin C (0.25–0.8 g/day) reduced the hospital stay by 19% compared with no vitamin C supplementation in other patients, whereas the higher-dose group (0.5–1.6 g/day) reduced the hospital stay by 36%.

Patients with pneumonia who received an increased dose of vitamin C had a shorter hospital stay by -36% Source: MDPI

6May help with weight management

Strawberries have a low glycaemic index (GI) and therefore help to moderate the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Research shows that a diet with lots of low GI foods can be beneficial for weight control and reducing the incidence of obesity-related diseases. Strawberries are also low in calories but have a sweet taste, so can be useful as a sweet treat.

7Strawberry is a great source of antioxidants

One of the most notable reasons for eating strawberries is their antioxidant benefits. Berries are some of the most powerful sources of antioxidants, according to Nutrition Journal, which looked at more than 3,100 foods. The researchers ranked strawberries among the berries with high antioxidant content, which also included blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants.

Strawberry – Bad news

Strawberries are usually well tolerated, but allergies are quite common, especially in young children.

Possible food allergy

Strawberries contain a protein that can cause symptoms in people who are sensitive to birch or apple pollen a condition commonly known as pollen-food allergy.

The common symptoms are itching or tingling in the mouth, hives, headache, swelling of the lips, face, tongue, or throat, and breathing problems in severe cases.

The protein that causes allergies is thought to be linked to the anthocyanins (they are responsible for the bright colours of fruits and flowers) in strawberries. Colourless, white strawberries are generally well tolerated by people who would otherwise be allergic.

Thyroid problems

Strawberries also contain goitrogens (compounds that disrupt the normal functioning of the thyroid gland), which can impair thyroid function in people with thyroid problems.

Healthy,Breakfast,Of,Strawberry,Parfaits,Made,With,Fresh,Fruit,,Yogurt

Fun & curious facts about strawberry

  • The French traditionally serve strawberry soup to newlyweds at their wedding breakfast, as it is considered an aphrodisiac.

  • The Strawberry Museum was founded in Belgium. There you will learn the detailed history of these berries and in the museum shop, you can buy different types of strawberry products, such as strawberry jam and even strawberry beer.

Strawberry. Experiment by our expert

We introduce one of our Healthypedia personal testers. Michael Freeman is a big health enthusiast, in great shape in his 50, and metabolically healthy! Michael uses a monitor which measures reaction of his body on food, exercises, stress, you name it. Here is his feedback and result.
Strawberry and blood glucose impact Nutrition
score
Blood glucose
trend

It was one of the tastiest tests I’ve made for Healthypedia: 250 grams of wonderful and full of-flavour strawberries. The reaction of my body was very positive. Just a small increase in blood glucose in the first 30 minutes. That’s it. Nutrition Score is 9 out of 10. Very good, almost ideal result. But you have to be careful to extrapolate the same outcome for the liquid form of consuming strawberries. Any smoothy and juice will create a completely different reaction. Eat strawberries as whole berries and enjoy all benefits without any downsides.

Healthypedia - Michael Freeman
Michael Freeman Health and Longevity Enthusiast, 50

Let’s sum strawberry up

Strawberries have been around the world for a very long time and have immediately conquered the world for their wonderful taste and natural appearance. Eating strawberries in your diet will not only add colour to your life but also many benefits such as a healthy heart, protection against cancer, maintaining blood sugar, controlling weight and filling your body with antioxidants, also, very importantly is one of the best providers of vitamin C to ensure your total health and well-being.

Not enough? Here is more

Dr. Veronica Rodriguez, MD is dedicated to keeping you informed about health, fitness and all things medicine! In this video, Dr. Veronica will tell some interesting stuff about strawberries and why you should eat them.


Healthypedia FAQ

You can eat 200 grams of fruit every day, but you should always consume a wider variety of fruit.

Choose berries that have a bright red colour, a natural shine and fresh-looking green caps.

Strawberries don't require cooking and are great served simply with sugar, cream or even on their own. You can add them to your favourite smoothie or even to a salad, which is very original, make strawberry ice cream or add strawberry slices to summer lemonade.

Place the unwashed strawberries in a single layer, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to eat. If you notice one of the strawberries spoiling or going mouldy, remove it immediately and throw it away.

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