When I was young, I used to love strawberries for their juiciness and their wonderful taste. I always thought them to be the best of fruits – of course, they are not called the queen of fruits for no reason!
Did you know that the name ‘strawberry’ is a misnomer as it is not a berry at all? Well, neither did I. Strawberries are considered as an accessory fruit as their fleshy part is not comprised of the plant’s ovaries but of the receptacle that holds the ovaries. A strawberry is an aggregate of several small fruits, each containing one single seed called ‘achene’. Thus, it is the only fruit that has seeds on the outside.
Strawberries can benefit you in numerous ways, and you can use them in several ways to make the most of what they have to offer.
How would you feel if you had been trying different products to cleanse your skin and get rid of your acne for a long time, only to have no results? Extremely frustrated, right? That wouldn’t be the case when you start using strawberries.
Strawberries contain alpha-hydroxy acid, which is an important substance that helps eliminate dead skin cells and cleanses the skin in the process.
According to a study conducted by Hahnemann University School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, treatments with alpha-hydroxy acids have been found to reverse signs of aging (1). And in another Japanese study, alpha-hydroxy acid agents were proven to improve and rejuvenate photo-damaged skin (2).
The strawberry fruit also contains salicylic acid and ellagic acid, which are known for reducing hyper-pigmentation and dark spots (3). Salicylic acid is also know for removing dead cells from the skin and tightening the skin pores to prevent further acne breakouts.
Strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C, which can cleanse the skin and keep it healthy (4), (5).
You can make a face mask using strawberries and honey. Strawberries, due to their mildly abrasive nature, have exfoliating properties that help remove the dirt, excess oils, and dead cells from the skin. Honey helps cleanse the skin and also counteracts the abrasive nature (in case it gets too much!) of the strawberries.
Back To Top
If you want to improve your complexion, strawberries are what you should lay your hands on!
Strawberries have skin-lightening properties, which can be attributed to the presence of ellagic acid in them. This acid, as already discussed, eliminates blemishes and spots.
The antioxidants present in strawberries protect the skin from UV damage.
Strawberries also contain vitamin B complex, glucose, carotene, and amino acids, all of which help improve the complexion.
Strawberry juice would go a long way in providing you with radiant skin.
Back To Top
Strawberries can do a marvelous job in toning your skin. Instead of opting for those OTC toning products laced with chemicals, you can use strawberries for natural skin toning benefits.
The antioxidants present in strawberries give them their amazing toning properties. The manganese present in strawberries also helps tone the skin, keeping it healthy and radiant.
Strawberry juice, when combined with rose water, can give you an amazing mask that can help tone your skin.
Back To Top
The sun’s radiation is one of the biggest external factors that can damage your skin health. But you can combat all that by using strawberries.
Strawberries’ UV protection powers might lie in anthocyanins, which are pigments that render strawberries their red color (7).
Strawberry extracts have also been found to enhance cell survival and decrease DNA damage.
As mentioned before, the antioxidants present in strawberries too contribute to the UV protection abilities of strawberries.
The ellagic acid in strawberries has the ability to eliminate free radicals, thereby preventing pigmentation that can be caused by sun damage (8). The fruit has also been found to work well against sunburn (9).
Back To Top
We all know that aging is inevitable. But what is not inevitable is aging prematurely. Most of us, owing to our poor eating habits and hectic lifestyles, are inviting signs of aging early in our lives. This can be prevented to a large extent by including strawberries in our diet.
The powerful antioxidants need to be given the credit, again! These protect our body from oxidative damage and stall the signs of aging (wrinkles, sagging skin, fine lines, etc.).
As a matter of fact, strawberries contain a higher amount of vitamin C than oranges or grapefruit. This nutrient fights free radicals, which were found to damage cells and break down collagen (resulting in fine lines).
Strawberries are also great sources of lycopene, an antioxidant that plays a prominent role in staving off the signs of aging. The anthocyanins present in strawberries protect the skin from oxidative stress, thereby slowing down aging (10).
In addition to using the mask, you can also include strawberries in your diet. You can have raw strawberries, or make strawberry milkshakes or smoothies.
Back To Top
Puffy eyes can damage one’s beauty. They can also make one look dull and lifeless. In case you have puffy eyes, worry not, as strawberries are there to help you!
Strawberries contain amazing astringent properties that help treat puffy eyes. They also contain alpha hydroxy acid, which makes the skin look smooth and young (11).
Back To Top
Cracked feet can be a real pain. But when you have strawberries, you don’t have much to worry about!
The mild abrasive properties of strawberries help exfoliate the skin and make the fruit ideal to be used as a foot scrub.
Back To Top
Hair fall is one of the commonest problems most of us face today. Yes, we have a number of OTC products for hair; but strawberries have an edge over them as they are natural.
Like already discussed, strawberries are great sources of vitamin C – a nutrient that encourages iron absorption and promotes hair growth. It has also been found that a deficiency of this nutrient can lead to hair splits (12).
Strawberries are also loaded with silica, which is known to prevent baldness and help in hair growth.
Back To Top
Even though dandruff might not seem a serious problem at its initial stages, it can cause a lot of issues if not treated on time. On that note, strawberries play a good role in treating dandruff.
Strawberries are excellent sources of vitamin C. This nutrient can treat conditions like dandruff, which could be caused as a result of weakened immunity.
Back To Top
One more benefit of strawberries for hair is their ability to prevent fungal growth.
Strawberries are rich in magnesium, the deficiency of which can cause fungal growth on the scalp (13).
The copper in strawberries also helps to treat the fungal infection.
Try to use a moisturizing ingredient (like avocado oil, Shea butter, etc.) along with strawberries so that your hair doesn’t get over-dried. Strawberries are generally used on oily or greasy hair, and using the mask without a moisturizing ingredient might dry out your hair excessively.
Back To Top
A strong immune system is important for keeping ailments away. With strawberries, you can get just that!
Strawberries are excellent sources of vitamin C. In fact, a single serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange (14). Vitamin C has been found to trigger immune-boosting antibodies, which ultimately enhance your body’s ability to fight infection (15).
In one Switzerland study, it had been found that supplementation of vitamin C had improved the various components of the immune system (16).
According to a research conducted by South African doctors, supplementation of vitamin C increased the concentration of immunoglobulin, which is an antibody and a key component of the immune system (17).
A single serving of strawberries contains about 51.5 mg of vitamin C (which is half of your daily requirement). Ideally take 2 servings of vitamin C regularly in order to meet your daily requirement of the nutrient.
Back To Top
Here comes one of the best health benefits of strawberries. You don’t have to worry about any eye ailments if you include strawberries in your diet.
Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants that were found to prevent cataract, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases (18).
According to the researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University, vitamin C can increase the functioning and life of the retinal cells (19).
You can simply have a cup of strawberries as an evening snack. A strawberry smoothie would also do wonders.
Back To Top
Inflammation can turn out to be a dangerous condition if not treated on time. But with strawberries included in your meal, you wouldn’t have to worry about that!
Strawberries contain quercetin, which is a flavonoid and a natural anti-inflammatory agent that has shown to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis (20).
According to a study conducted by the University of Massachusetts, intake of quercetin along with regular exercise can reduce atherosclerosis plaque formation (21).
Strawberries are also rich in vitamin C, which plays a major role in preventing inflammation (22).
It has been found that high levels of C-reactive protein (or CRP) can signal increasing levels of inflammation in the body. According to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, women who consumed 16 or more strawberries every week were 14 percent less likely to have elevated levels of this protein (23).
You can slice strawberries and add them to your cereal for breakfast. You can also add them to your evening bowl of yogurt.
Back To Top
Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the world today, and if you don’t take proper care, you might as well be its victim.
Scary?
Well, we have a solution – have strawberries regularly.
The abundance of antioxidants and polyphenols in strawberries make them the ideal food to protect your heart from ailments. Strawberries contain anthocyanins (the antioxidants responsible for their red hue), which protect the lining of the circulatory system, thereby shielding the arteries from plaque buildup and regulating the blood pressure (24).
According to Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City, women who consumed three or more servings of berries (especially strawberries) every week had reduced their risk of heart attack by a third (25).
The Nurses’ Health Study II (a major US investigation of women’s health), which involved 93,600 participants, had come up with a similar observation – women who included strawberries in their diet at least thrice a week had a 32 percent lower risk of suffering from a heart attack (26), (27), (28).
According to a study published in the journal Circulation, simply blending strawberries in your morning smoothie can help reduce the risk of heart attacks (29). You can also have a serving of strawberries as a regular evening snack.
Back To Top
Do you have somebody in your family suffering from (or who has suffered from) cancer? Well, then you don’t have to be told how deadly a disease it is. Of course, we do have medical treatments to cure the condition, but how can you prevent it altogether?
Yes. The answer is – strawberries.
Strawberries are exceptionally good sources of vitamin C and fiber, both of which have been found to provide protection from cancers of the esophagus and colon. The anti-cancer properties of strawberries, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, can be attributed to the presence of ellagic acid – a phytochemical that can prevent cancers of the skin, lung, bladder, and breast (30).
Ellagic acid acts as an anti-cancer agent in several ways – it acts as an antioxidant, slows down the production of cancer cells, and helps the body destroy certain types of carcinogens.
From the words of Tong Chen, a cancer researcher at The Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center, strawberries play a significant role in preventing esophageal cancer. Chen’s study involved 36 men and women (having precancerous lesions of the esophagus), who were made to eat 2 ounces of freeze-dried strawberries (strawberries, when freeze dried, contains the beneficial components of the fruit in a concentrated form) every day. It was found that the strawberries could decelerate the progression of the lesions in 29 of the 36 individuals who had participated in the study (31), (32).
The presence of antioxidants in strawberry is another major factor that gives the fruit its cancer-fighting ability.
You can add strawberries to your favorite smoothie. Or you can simply rinse and have them as an evening snack.
Back To Top
High blood pressure has become so common today, that you can find at-least one suffering from it in every household. But the condition can be prevented and even treated if strawberries are included as a part of one’s diet.
As already mentioned, strawberries contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that relax the lining inside blood vessels and open them up, thereby lowering blood pressure (33), (34).
Strawberries are also rich in potassium, a nutrient that helps control blood pressure (35).
Regularly including strawberries in your diet can go a long way in keeping your blood pressure under control. Simply chop a few strawberries and add the slices to your oatmeal or cereal. You can even add the fruit to your evening smoothie.
Back To Top
Losing weight is something most of us struggle with. Apart from our regular exercise, proper food is also important to reach our weight loss goals – and this is where strawberries come into the picture.
The ellagic acid and antioxidants are what play a major role in making strawberries ideal for losing weight (36).
Chronic inflammation is one of the causes of weight gain, since it blocks the hormones that make you lean. Strawberry, being an amazing anti-inflammatory food, restores the functionalities of weight-reducing hormones.
In addition, anthocyanins, the master antioxidants, increase the body’s production of a hormone called adiponectin. This hormone promotes metabolism and suppresses your appetite (37).
Also, both ellagic acid and the antioxidants help in slowing down the digestion of starchy foods. This controls the rise in blood sugar levels post a starchy meal, thereby regulating weight. It also helps individuals with type-2 diabetes keep their blood sugar levels in check.
It has been found that foods with low energy density (number of calories in a specific amount of food) are ideal for weight loss. This means, you eat a greater amount of food with lesser calories that keeps you full without increasing calorie consumption (38). On that note, strawberries are one of those foods that have low energy density. Water and fiber content are the two keys to achieve weight loss, which are found in abundance in strawberries.
You can ideally have a serving of plain Greek yogurt (instead of the regular strawberry yogurt, since it’s high in calories) with a cup of mashed strawberries for breakfast.
If you have salads for lunch, try including strawberries in the salad. You can also replace other high-calorie fruits (like cranberries, which contain 138 calories per 1/3 cup serving) with strawberries, as they contain only 58 calories per cup.
For dessert, instead of hogging on ice cream or some other high-calorie pastry, you can go for watermelon strawberry mint popsicles. Each popsicle contains only about 31 calories, and satisfies your craving for something refreshing on a hot summer day.
Back To Top
Not many factors can be as deterrent to your health as bad cholesterol. We know how dangerous the condition is, but what we don’t know yet is how wonderfully strawberries can deal with it.
Strawberries are known to contain pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber that lowers the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) in the body (39).
According to a New Orleans study, several types of soluble fiber, including pectin, have shown to lower the levels of LDL (40).
As per an analysis together carried out by Italian and Spanish scientists, a team of 23 healthy volunteers that had consumed 500 grams of strawberries regularly for a month saw a decrease in their LDL levels.
Another Canadian study had showed the efficacy of strawberries in reducing oxidative damage and bad cholesterol (41).
Include strawberries in your morning breakfast cereal or oatmeal. You can also replace your evening fatty snack with a bowl full of strawberries.
Back To Top
When it comes to the health of the brain, not many foods can be as effective as strawberries.
The credit goes to the antioxidants, again. Strawberries, with their high content of antioxidants, protect the brain cells from damage due to free radicals. They also change the way the neurons in the brain communicate with each other (42). This ultimately leads to improved brain health.
A study conducted by Harvard researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has revealed that intake of strawberries can delay memory decline in older women over time (43). This benefit can be attributed to the presence of flavonoids in strawberries. Also, it was found that an increased intake of anthocyanadins helped in slowing down memory decline.
According to the studies conducted by researchers from Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County, a majority of brain diseases (including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s) are caused due to an increase in the amount of a particular toxic protein. But the consumption of strawberries has been found to promote the brain’s natural housekeeping mechanism (also called autophagy), thereby reducing the accumulation of this protein (44).
Eat a cup of raw strawberries as an evening snack. Even a chilled strawberry smoothie would be beneficial to your brain.
Back To Top
Strawberries contain oxalates. When the concentration of oxalates increases within the body, they can crystallize, causing health problems. Individuals with kidney or gall bladder disorders should avoid consuming strawberries (45).
Strawberries, if used in large amounts for prolonged periods, might cause excessive bleeding and can increase the risk of bruising. It can also slow blood clotting, which might increase the chances of bleeding during surgery. Those who have a scheduled surgery must stop consuming strawberries at least 2 weeks before getting operated (46).
Knowing the benefits of a particular food would be of no use if one doesn’t know how to select and store it.
Take a look at the table below. The nutritional content mentioned is per 100 grams of strawberries.
Strawberries are most commonly used in desserts and ice creams. Their extracts are also used as preservatives in a variety of products. Due to their sweet and juicy flavor, they can also be eaten whole like other fruits. Today, they form a part of various recipes. Given below are some tips for enjoying this delicious fruit.
This is all about Strawberries! Strawberries are a powerhouse of nutrition. Including them in our diets can be one of the best things we can do for our health. So, this summer, enjoy the flavor and the benefits of these luscious berries!