According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, strawberries are the sixth most popular fruit in the country, with the average person consuming little over 5 pounds (lb) of the vivid red berry annually (USDA). It’s understandable why considering how tasty and healthy the sweet, juicy fruits are.
According to Austin, Texas-based RDN Jenna Volpe, strawberries are a powerful source of antioxidants. “Including strawberries in a balanced diet has the potential to provide a wide range of advantages, from cancer prevention and cardiovascular support to a healthy gut and more.” According to USDA research, strawberries contain antioxidants such vitamin C and the carotenoids lutein and carotene. Strawberries are also a wonderful source of fiber, other vitamins, and minerals.
1. A Top Source of Antioxidants That Can Help Reduce Oxidative Stress Is Strawberries
The potential antioxidant advantages of strawberries are among the most notable justifications for eating them. According to a Nutrition Journal investigation that examined more than 3,100 items and tasted them, berries are among the foods that are most powerful providers of antioxidants. Wild blueberries, blackberries, and black currants were featured in the researchers’ list of the berries with the highest antioxidant content.
The reason why antioxidants are so popular is because of their capacity to lessen oxidative stress. According to Volpe, “oxidative stress from our environment constantly battles our cells, which significantly leads to cellular aging and chronic sickness.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that can harm cells and result in disease. Antioxidants operate in part by neutralizing these molecules. According to a 2017 analysis, oxidative stress can be harmful to human health and increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, including antioxidant-rich fruits in one’s diet is linked to a lower chance of developing chronic conditions brought on by oxidative stress.
2. Strawberry Vitamin C Content Supports a Healthy Immune System.
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants present in strawberries. The National Institutes of Health recommends consuming 75 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C for women and 90 mg for males per day (NIH). Strawberries contain more than 100% of your daily dose (DV) of vitamin C, according to USDA data, with 98 mg in 1 cup of sliced fruit – more than an orange, as the USDA points out.
During the cold and flu season, you might want to stock up. According to Charleston, South Carolina resident and registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, “the vitamin C in strawberries is associated to immune health support.” One cup of strawberries contains all the vitamin C required for the day, in addition to being a great source of antioxidants and other nutrients.
According to a review, vitamin C is a crucial ingredient for overall health, especially for your immune system’s capacity to fight off viruses. Our immune system deteriorates with age, but a study published in December 2020 in Experimental Gerontology reveals that vitamin C alone or combined with vitamin E can boost immunological function in the elderly. This explains why vitamin C-rich foods and supplements are frequently recommended as defenses against colds. Although vitamin C cannot cure an illness, it can shorten the duration of a cold, according to MedlinePlus.
3. Strawberries May Reduce Cardiometabolic Risks Due to Their Antioxidants
Antioxidants found in strawberries and their positive benefits on heart health. Strawberries have a negative relationship with cardiometabolic risk, according to a study that appeared in the October 2021 issue of Antioxidants. This refers to risk factors that raise the likelihood of serious vascular events including diabetes and heart attacks. The study’s findings, according to Volpe, “were sufficient to increase antioxidant activity and reduce inflammatory levels linked with cardiometabolic risks in just four weeks of regular ingestion of concentrated strawberries in powder form.” A similar study using full strawberries is required to verify the findings because strawberries and strawberry powder are obviously not the same thing.
But more and more evidence is emerging regarding strawberries, antioxidants, and a probable reduction in the risk of developing diabetes. Regular portions of strawberries dramatically reduced insulin resistance in adults with obesity and high LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, according to a study published in April 2021 in Nutrients. According to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance. Diabetes rates rise together with the body of knowledge. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38 percent of American adults have prediabetes and 11.3 percent of Americans have diabetes, the majority of which is type 2. (CDC). Strawberries may be a part of a balanced diet, which is a key strategy in your type 2 diabetes defense kit.
4. Consuming strawberries may help cognitive function and lower the risk of developing dementia.
According to the CDC, men are more frequently affected than women by subjective cognitive decline, which is characterized by confusion or memory loss, which affects an estimated 11.1 percent of U.S. adults. While it’s common to lose track of where you put your keys, aging isn’t usually accompanied by forgetting how to carry out simple activities like managing your medicine. The capacity of a person to live independently may be significantly impacted. Adults who are experiencing cognitive decline also frequently have concomitant conditions including diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease.
5. Strawberry Consumption Can Lower Cholesterol Levels
While your body requires cholesterol for several processes, having too much of it can be harmful to your heart. Your doctor may order a blood test to better understand your risk for heart-related incidents because elevated cholesterol has no symptoms. According to the CDC, almost 12 percent of persons aged 20 and older are thought to have excessive cholesterol or hypertension. Although a number of variables, including genetics, might increase the likelihood of having high cholesterol, an unhealthy lifestyle can also be a factor. Strawberries are an example of a fresh fruit that is a positive development.
As high cholesterol isn’t something you can see or feel, it may seem like simply a number on a page, but maintaining appropriate cholesterol levels is crucial to avoiding heart disease and stroke. According to Harvard Health Publishing, strawberries and other fruits can decrease cholesterol because they are rich in soluble fiber.
6. Ingredients in Strawberries May Help to Reduce Inflammation
Although persistent inflammation may accompany heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and other disorders, Harvard Health Publishing notes that inflammation is a normal component of the body’s immunological response. The appropriate lifestyle choices may help keep inflammation levels under control, even if it’s not always apparent whether inflammation or inflammatory disorders developed first. According to research published in November 2020 in Molecules, fruit in particular, which is high in flavonoids and antioxidants, can have favorable effects on indicators of inflammation and may have neuroprotective, anticancer, cardioprotective, and anti-diabetic qualities to prevent disease.
