Amazing Health Benefits of Strawberries

If you’re a strawberry addict like me, then this time of year must make you very happy. Canadian strawberries are just the best. The Strawberry is called ‘the queen of fruits” In Asian countries because it’s packed with health benefits. Compared to fruits like apples, oranges or bananas, strawberries have the highest amount of nutrients. These juicy heart-shaped delights have much more to offer beyond sweetness and flavor. I consider them a powerfood.

Nutritional breakdown of strawberries

Strawberries are rich in the essential nutrients vitamin C, potassium, folic acid and fiber. One cup of fresh strawberries contains 160% of your daily needs for vitamin C, for only 50 calories!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries (166 grams)

Strawberries on a white background

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C

Calories: 50




Protein: 1 gram




Carbohydrates: 11.65 grams




Dietary Fiber: 3.81 grams




Calcium: 23.24 mg




Iron: 0.63 mg




Magnesium: 16.60 mg




Phosphorus: 31.54 mg




Potassium: 44.82 mg




Selenium: 1.16 mg




Vitamin C: 94.12 mg




Folate: 29.38 mcg




Vitamin A: 44.82 IU

Amazing Health Benefits of Strawberries

Helps burn stored fat

The red coloring contains anthocyanins, which stimulate the burning of stored fat. When a group of animals was fed a high-fat diet along with anthocyanins, they gained 24 percent less weight than the animals eating the high-fat diet without added anthocyanins.

Strawberries to stop stressing

Strawberries contain more than 100 percent of our daily recommended intake of vitamin C in just one cup. Recent studies show that when vitamin C is consumed during times of stress, it actually has the ability to decrease our blood pressure to a normal level, preventing the development of hypertension — especially in kids!

Keep Teeth Healthy

Strawberries are the third-best food source of polyphenols. That’s good news since researchers believe these compounds inhibit the breakdown of starches in the mouth (thus limiting the resulting sticky sugars that adhere to teeth as plaque) and also fight the bacteria that contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. Scrubbing your teeth with strawberries will whiten them, but because the berries are so acidic, dentists warn that using this home remedy frequently could damage the enamel.

Heart Disease

Regular consumption of anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids found in berries, can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 32% in young and middle-aged women. Women who consumed at least 3 servings of strawberries or blueberries per week fared best in the Harvard study.

The high polyphenol content in strawberries may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by preventing platelet build-up and reducing blood pressure via anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Other studies have shown that eating strawberries helps to lower homocysteine levels, an amino acid in the blood associated with damaging the inner lining of arteries. The fiber and potassium in strawberries also support heart health. In one study, participants who consumed 4069 mg of potassium per day had a 49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium.

Cancer

As mentioned above, strawberries contain powerful antioxidants that work against free radicals, inhibiting tumor growth and decreasing inflammation in the body.

(read more: early sign and symptoms of breast cancer)

Promote bone health

Strawberries contain potassium, vitamin K and magnesium which are important for bone health.

Boost short term memory

The anthocyanin boost short term memory by 100 percent in eight weeks.

Anti-aging properties

Strawberries are filled with biotin, which helps build strong hair and nails. They also contain the antioxidant elegiac acid, which protects the elastic fibers in our skin to prevent sagging.

Good for weight loss

The compound nitrate found promotes blood flow and oxygen in our body, which is great for weight loss.

Promote eye health

Eating three or more servings of fruit like strawberries may lower the risk of macular degeneration, a condition resulting in vision loss.

(Read more: How to improve eye sight)