Benefits of Eating Strawberries

Strawberry Benefits You Didn't Know About

There are many fruits that benefit your health in a lot of ways. One of the fruits that happen to work wonders for your skin, hair, and overall health is strawberry. Right from strawberry benefits to side effects and nutritional value, we're here to tell you all about it.

Those who love strawberries, already know that it's not just a juicy, delicious fruit but also loaded with antioxidants. To be precise, this nutrient-rich fruit makes for an excellent source of vitamin C as well as manganese while also containing folate and potassium (1). The beauty of strawberries is that you can eat them raw and fresh or even frozen. It's honestly quite a versatile fruit that can be made into jellies, jams, and desserts even. If you're not a fan of this fruit, you must read about the strawberry health benefits to know how phenomenal it is.

Benefits of Eating Strawberries:

Here is a list of strawberry benefits that you will love to know about.

1. Strawberries For Skin:

One of the advantages of strawberries is that they can help with acne treatment (2). This fruit has anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in soothing and calming down breakouts. Strawberries contain salicylic acid, which cleanses your pores and also helps keep bacteria at bay. The salicylic acid in strawberries also helps prevent and fade hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Strawberries for skin works really well as a skin exfoliator that removes all the dead skin cells and gives you tight pores and flawless-looking skin. Strawberries can also help reverse the damage that is caused by UV rays and free radicals which ultimately reduces premature ageing of the skin (3).

Strawberries For Skin

2. Strawberries For Hair:

One of the strawberries' health benefits is linked to your hair. Eating strawberries can help prevent hair loss as they make for a great source of ellagic acid that protects your hair from falling out or thinning (4). You can also get rid of dandruff with the help of strawberries as it is loaded with vitamin C and can improve the quality of your hair. Strawberries for hair work wonders for shiny and silky hair as the nutrients found in this fruit shields them against major hair issues.

Strawberries For Hair

3. Strawberries For Health:

Strawberries for health can prove beneficial in a lot of ways.

-  As they are rich in colourful pigments they can help prevent inflammatory conditions and heart disease.

- Consuming strawberries regularly can also slow down your digestion of glucose and moderate your use of insulin. It is due to the presence of the colourful anthocyanins that kick starts this effect.

- Not just that, strawberries also contain protective plant compounds known as polyphenols that help manage some effects of type 2 diabetes.

- This fruit has a low glycaemic index (GI) which helps moderate blood sugar release (5). When you're on a diet with many low GI food options, it may help you cut down weight and reduce the possibility of obesity-related diseases. Not to forget, strawberries are low in calories while tasting sweet, so they can easily help your sweet tooth without putting on weight.

- One of the strawberry benefits is maintaining healthy vision. The clouding over of the eye lens, known as cataracts can lead to blindness in older adults. The presence of vitamin C in strawberries helps in shielding your eyes from exposure to the harsh UV rays of the sun which can damage the protein in the lens.

- You'd already know that fiber is quite important for healthy digestion, and strawberries contain 2 grams of fiber per serving (6). A lack of fiber can result in constipation and inflammation in the intestines in most people. Consuming strawberries in moderate amounts in your daily diet can boost your fiber intake.

- Strawberries also contain folate, which is a B vitamin that is usually recommended to pregnant women or the ones trying to conceive. This fruit makes for a great source of B vitamin per serving, and hence, when consumed regularly, can help in the early stages of pregnancy. This helps in the proper development of the baby's skull, brain, and spinal cord. The folic acid present in strawberries can aid in preventing birth defects like spina bifida.

Strawberries For Health

Nutritional Value of Strawberries:

Now that you know enough about strawberry health benefits, here is a division of its nutritional value per 100 grams of raw strawberry (7) -

  • Calories: 32
  • Water: 91%
  • Carbs: 7.7 grams
  • Sugar: 4.9 grams
  • Fiber: 2 grams
  • Protein: 0.7 grams
  • Fat: 0.3 grams

Side Effects of Strawberries:

Along with getting to know about strawberry benefits, you must also educate yourself on some of its side effects (8).

- This fruit is usually well-tolerated by most people but some people can be allergic to it, especially children.

- A condition called pollen-food allergy can occur due to this fruit as it contains a protein that causes symptoms in people sensitive to birch pollen.

- Common strawberry allergy symptoms include - headaches, hives, swelling of the lips, face, and tongue, and itching or tingling in the mouth.

- Strawberries also contain goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid gland functioning in people suffering from thyroid problems.

Other than vitamin C-rich strawberries, you can also invest in Saffola Fittify The Perfekt Gummies For Daily Energy Boost Multi Vitamins & Minerals. These gummies are packed with rich nutrients like vitamins A, C, and zinc. You can rely on these gummies to bridge the nutrition gap in your diet.

Conclusion:

Strawberries are low in calories, healthy, and extremely tasty. They make for a great source of vitamins, minerals as well as plant compounds. Hence, strawberry health benefits are many ranging from reduced blood pressure to improved skin and hair health. This fruit can also effectively prevent big spikes in your blood sugar as well as insulin levels. So it definitely tops the charts as one of the healthier fruits that you must include in your daily diet.

FAQs:

  • How many strawberries can I eat in a day?

One cup of strawberries which comes to 7 to 8 pieces can be eaten in one day.

  • Can I eat strawberries on an empty stomach?

Any kind of fruit can be eaten on an empty stomach, including strawberries. Fruits are easily digestible and make for a great snack as well.

  • Do strawberries contain a lot of sugar?

Strawberries sure do taste sweet but they are quite low in sugar. One cup of raw strawberries has around 7g of sugar. At the same time, it contains more than 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C.

  • Who shouldn't eat strawberries?

Anybody with a bleeding disorder should avoid strawberries or use them with caution. Also, note that using strawberries in larger quantities can increase the chances of bleeding during as well as after surgery. Hence, it is recommended to stop consuming strawberries at least 2 weeks before surgery is scheduled.

  • Do strawberries burn body fat?

Strawberries can amp up the production of adiponectin and leptin, both of the hormones that help burn fat and also strengthen metabolism.

  • Is it safe to eat strawberries if I have diabetes?

Strawberries have a low glycemic index, as mentioned earlier, which means they're safe for diabetics as they are usually advised to eat foods with low GI.