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13 Health Benefits Of Strawberries – Why Should You Eat Strawberries Daily Hereafter?
Strawberries first originated in Europe way back in the 18th century but the fruits are now grown all over the world with The United States being the topmost producer of these highly nutritious fruits. Not only are strawberries incredibly tasty, but they are also great health boosters! Here are 13 health benefits of strawberries that might actually surprise you!
Frequent consumption of strawberries protects your heart health, boosts your immunity, enhances your skin health and does a lot more!
What is in strawberries that makes them amazingly powerful? Here is to some amazing strawberry nutrition facts.
Strawberry Nutrition Facts!
Strawberries are incredibly high in water content. They contain approximately 93 % of water! The presence of antioxidants and certain plan components (polyphenols) makes them highly beneficial.
These are a great source of Vitamin C, manganese, folate, and dietary fibres though they contain the following other nutrients in little quantities.
One cup of sliced strawberries which is around 166 grams provides your body with the following nutrients.
| Vitamins | Grams | %DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets) |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 19.9 IU | 0 |
| Vitamin C | 97.6 mg | 163% |
| Vitamin E | 0.5 mg | 2% |
| Vitamin K | 3.7 mcg | 5% |
| Thiamin | 0.0 mg | 3% |
| Riboflavin | 0.0 mg | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 4% |
| Niacin | 0.6 mg | 3% |
| Folate | 39.8 mcg | 1% |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.2 mg | 2% |
| Choline | 9.5 mg | |
| Betaine | 0.3 mg | |
| Minerals | Grams | %DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets) |
| Calcium | 26.6 mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.7 mg | 4% |
| Magnesium | 21.6 mg | 5% |
| Phosphorous | 39.8 mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 254 mg | 7% |
| Zinc | 0.2 mg | 2% |
| Copper | 0.1 mg | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.6 mg | 32% |
| Selenium | 0.7 mcg | 1% |
| Flouride | 7.3 mcg | |
| Other elements | Grams | %DV (Percentage of daily requirement that it meets) |
| Carbohyrdates | 12.7 grams | 4% |
| Proteins | 1.1 grams | 2% |
| Fats | 0.5 grams | 1% |
How Many Calories In Strawberries?
One cup of sliced strawberries (166 grams) contains only 53 calories which helps you meet 3% of your daily calorie requirement.
Health Benefits Of Strawberries – How Are Strawberries Good For You?
Regular consumption of strawberries can bring in these 13 positive changes to your health!
1. Strawberries Boost Your Immunity
Being susceptible to frequent infections is an indication of a lack of immune power. Consuming strawberries can enhance your immunity because of the presence of vitamin C in abundant amounts.
Just one cup of sliced strawberries (which weighs around 166 grams) provides 97.6 mg of vitamin C which fulfills more than 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement.
Vitamin C can accumulate in the neutrophils of White blood cells and help in microbial killing thereby helping you to stay away from frequent infections. Strawberries also help in preventing respiratory infections. (1)
Studies have also proven that strawberries increase your ability to get cleared of free radicals (which are known to damage healthy cells)(2)
2. Benefits Of Eating Strawberries For Heart Health
Heart diseases are unfortunately the leading cause of deaths that occur all over the world. The major reasons for heart diseases include elevated blood pressure, a family history of coronary heart disease, lack of physical activity, smoking, being subjected to stress, high cholesterol levels and being obese.
Maintaining a low cholesterol diet, exercising regularly and putting your mind at ease are however necessary for preventing the risk of heart diseases.
You can also make a simple habit of consuming strawberries frequently since they contain antioxidants called anthocyanins, fibres and micronutrients(3) which are the major components that you can obtain from your diet to protect your heart from cardiovascular diseases.
3. Strawberry Benefits For Skin
Taking care of your skin can seem quite difficult due to various factors that influence the quality and texture of your skin.
Knowing the underlying cause of your skin problem is necessary before you dive in to take the action. Keeping yourself hydrated and exercising regularly can improve your skin health to a large extent.
Consumption of certain skin healthy foods can also trigger the necessary changes to keep up your skin health.
Strawberries provide huge amounts of vitamin C which is necessary for the production of collagen to retain your skin’s elasticity and prevent wrinkles from occurring too soon!
Also, Antioxidants in strawberries protect your skin from light-induced skin damage. (4)
Continuous exposure of our skin to sun rays produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can result in inflammation and oxidative stress.
Studies conducted on strawberry based cosmetic formulations proved that cosmetic formulations with ‘strawberry’ and ‘sun protection factor’ helped in reducing the death of healthy cells, reduced ROS and increased the antioxidant activity. (5)
4. Strawberry Benefits For Blood Sugar Regulation
Strawberries contain polyphenols which are naturally occurring bioactive components that play an important role in preventing chronic diseases. (6)
Foods that are rich in polyphenols can also reduce postprandial hyperglycemia (the escalation of blood sugar levels), especially after the meals.
Studies conducted on an experimental group and a control group in relation to the consumption of strawberry and cranberry polyphenols observed an improvement in insulin sensitivity (in the experimental group)(7)
Also, strawberries are low in glycemic index. A low glycemic index helps in a slow absorption of carbohydrates into your blood which prevents an abnormal spike in the blood sugar levels. Glycemic index of strawberries is as low as 41.
A glycemic index of 55 or less is usually considered safe!
5. Effect Of Strawberries On Cholesterol Levels
Consuming more baked products, foods that are high in full fat, red meat can increase your cholesterol levels since these are high in saturated and trans fat.
If you have observed a continuous consumption of cholesterol-raising foods through your diet, it’s high time you realize the dangerous impact of elevated cholesterol on your heart health since there is a possibility of cholesterol to get accumulated in the arteries, thereby blocking the free movement of blood to your heart.
Studies conducted on the effect of strawberries on cholesterol proved that strawberry consumption can reduce the oxidative damage, reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease the overall cholesterol levels, which in turn reduces the risk of coronary heart diseases. (8)
6. How Strawberry Benefits Weight Loss?
Strawberries are particularly low in calories which makes them the best weight loss foods. One cup of strawberries (166 grams) provides just 53 calories.
Strawberries can boost the production of two important adipocytokines (leptin and adiponectin), Most of the adipocytokines are pro-inflammatory which can increase the risk of obesity. (9)
However, leptin and adiponectin show the anti-inflammatory effect on our health, thereby reducing the chances of obesity.
Also, strawberries are a good source of dietary fibres which benefits weight loss. Research has proved that the intake of dietary fibre is inversely related to weight gain and obesity. (10)
Above all, strawberries are excellent water-rich fruits which keep your body hydrated and reduce your appetite.
What more? Consuming a cup of freshly chopped strawberry fruits a few hours prior to your lunch can assist you in a healthy weight loss.
7. Benefits Of Eating Strawberries For Eyes
Age is the primary factor for the onset of most common eye disorders – cataracts and macular degeneration. Health benefits of strawberries also include the protection of eye health since these juicy fruits are enriched with antioxidants.
Our eyes particularly have a high metabolic rate which is why they require a good number of antioxidants for proper protection.
Apart from the antioxidant property of bioactive compounds in strawberries, vitamin C also has rich antioxidant properties that benefit our eyes. Moreover, vitamin C can also regenerate Vitamin E to benefit the vision. (11)
Women require 75 mg of vitamin C per day while men require 90mg of the vitamin per day.
One cup of sliced strawberries (which is around 166 grams) contains 97.6 mg of vitamin C.
8. Benefits Of Strawberries For Men’s Health
Strawberries may prevent the chances of infertility in men. The credit again goes to vitamin C present in these juicy berries.
Studies conducted on oral supplementation of vitamin C among a group of infertile men aged between 25 and 35 years proved that there was an increase in the overall sperm count and sperm motility after the oral intake of the vitamin. (12)
Since a cup of strawberries (166 grams) provide 163% RDA, frequent consumption of these fresh fruits might boost the sperm count.
9. How Strawberry Benefits Brain Health?
Age-related neurological disorders occur due to a decline in motor functioning and cognitive functioning.
Motor functions involve good coordination of body organs while Cognitive functioning helps us perform our daily tasks since they help in better learning and problem-solving.
Consumption of berry fruits is known to improve both motor functioning and cognitive functions and also help in neuroplasticity (formation of new neural connections) which helps the neurons to get over injuries and diseases. (13)
The credit goes to the presence of phytochemicals called anthocyanins present in the berries.
Increased production of Reactive oxygen species can easily make your brain susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases. So, we need a strong defensive reaction (like an antioxidant activity) to fight the ROS.
The rich anti-oxidant property of strawberries can prevent the age-related disorders!
10. Health Benefits Of Strawberries – Cancer Prevention
Accumulated damage to genes causes cancer and this can occur by chance or due to the exposure to certain cancer-causing agents called carcinogens.
Choosing a healthy lifestyle is, of course, an essential measure we must all take for cancer prevention. One such measure includes the consumption of berry fruits.
Studies have shown various beneficial aspects of the berries consumption in relation to cancer which includes reduction of inflammation, suppression of tumour growth and the protection of DNA cells from damage. (14)
11. Benefits Of Eating Strawberries During Pregnancy
Pregnant women are advised to take folate in sufficient amounts to prevent birth defects! It is usually recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid in a day for women of childbearing age and women who are undergoing pregnancy.
A proper intake of this vitamin can prevent the chances of birth defects that might affect the baby’s spinal cord or brain.
One cup of sliced strawberries (166 grams) provides 39.8 mcg of folate which fulfils 10% of your daily folate requirement.
Moreover, berries are a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C which aid in the healthy development of skin cells and result in a strong immune system of the baby! (15)
12. Eat More Strawberries To Keep Your Blood Pressure In Control
High blood pressure is one of the major reasons for heart diseases and strokes. Studies have proved that eating at least one cup of fresh strawberries once a week can reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.
Women who consumed more fruits rich in anthocyanins could experience a reduction in blood pressure by 8% when compared to other women who consumed them in rather fewer quantities. (16)
The blood pressure gets reduced since the blood vessels get expanded, resulting in a much convenient flow of blood along the blood vessels.
13. Strawberries Can Improve Your Bone Strength
A regular intake of berries is essential for preventing osteopenia, a condition which is characterized by a lower mineral bone density. (17)
Osteopenia does not necessarily cause osteoporosis, but it is essential to keep up the bone density to prevent fractures and injuries.
Apart from anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the presence of micronutrients also contributes to strong bone health.
Bottom Line
Strawberries are incredibly high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. They are a good source of folic acid and manganese.
They contain vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Niacin, Riboflavin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium in little amounts.
Pregnant women can consume strawberries to gain the required amounts of folate and vitamin C.
Strawberry benefits skin, boosts your immune system, helps in a healthy weight loss, improves bone strength, reduces the blood pressure, prevents cancer, enhances brain health, protects your heart health, keeps your blood sugar in control, benefits eye health and reduces your cholesterol levels.
Why wait? Start consuming a bowl of these nutrient-rich fresh fruits daily and pave a way to better living!
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