Health benefits of strawberries

Taste the Goodness of Nature, Eat Strawberries!

    Ever wondered why strawberries are the most popular berry fruit in the world?
    
    Popularly known as accessory fruits, the deep red color and sweet fragrance of strawberries can indeed brighten up or enhance both the taste and aesthetics of any meal. Strawberries, like many other perishable fruits at this time, remained a luxury item only enjoyed by the wealthy until the mid-19th century. Fortunately the railways were built and more rapid means of transportation were established, strawberries then were shipped to longer distances and were able to be enjoyed by more people.

    Although strawberries vary remarkably in size, color, flavor, shape, texture, degree of fertility, and season of ripening, one can usually identify a strawberry by its red flesh that has yellow seeds piercing its surface, and the small, regal, green leafy cap and stem that adorn its crown. But strawberries do not only look like a fruity heart-shaped valentine, they are filled with unusual phytonutrients which promote your health.

What's so nutritionally good about strawberries?
    
    Most of the foods we eat today lack vitality. They contain preservatives, pesticides and hormones. Foods are often processed or overcooked, which destroys most of their nutritional properties. Without any doubt the consumption of fruits and vegetables has been long associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and much better quality of life. Nutrients from fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and other chronic diseases. These beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables have been partly attributed to their high content of flavonoids, the intake of which is also inversely associated with the incidence of many chronic diseases. Flavonoids are compounds that protect plants from pathogens, ultraviolet light, and other stress and are responsible for the deep colors of flowers and fruits. Many flavonoids are polyphenols, and their antioxidant properties are probably related to their polyphenolic chemical structure.

Berry Good Source of Nutrients

    Strawberries are not only an excellent source of flavonoids, vitamin C and manganese, they are also a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine. In addition to that, strawberries are a good source of potassium, folate, vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, copper, and vitamin K.  Strawberries also contain an array of beneficial phytonutrients, anthocyanidins and ellagic acid. Anthocyanins are found in fresh and frozen berries, but not in processed foods.
    
    A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found anthocyanins were almost undetectable in canned foods, bread, cereals, and baby foods containing berries, even in baby foods prepared from fruits high in anthocyanins, such as blueberries. Baby foods containing berries are bereft of anthocyanins, the water-soluble plant pigments responsible not only for the blue, purple, and red color of berries, but also for many of their health benefits. Researchers say that this may be due to anthocyanins' unique chemical structure, which makes them unstable even at a neutral pH and therefore much more susceptible to destruction during processing than other phytonutrients, such as proanthocyanidins. Therefore it is better to purchase fresh or frozen berries so that you can get the most out of strawberries' taste and health benefits.

    Strawberries are not only delicious gift from nature, they are also nutritious, healthy fruits and ideally should be a part of everyone's diet. Adding fresh strawberries to your diet, whether they are in salads, smoothies, or on their own, is a great way to get the servings of fruit you need for a well-rounded body and a healthy immune system.