Health Benefits of Strawberries
Posted by Katie Straw on Oct 2, 2013
Call us biased, but we're convinced that all other fruits pale when compared to exquisite strawberries. Their seductive ruby exteriors tempt with the promise of sweet, refreshing flavor - which alone is enough to win our hearts - but strawberries are more than just a pretty face. They're a bona-fide super fruit.
Low in calories and free of fats, strawberries are a deity in any diet's hierarchy. And without all the unhealthy stuff, there's a lot of room for beneficial vitamins and minerals' including 3 important antioxidants. You've probably heard of antioxidants. They're the substances that help protect us against cancer-starting, electron-stealing (and sometimes donating) free radicals. In other words, they're super important. Antioxidants have also been linked to the treatment and prevention of diseases like Alzheimer's, having proven to delay cognitive impairments by up to 2.5 years. And if you're looking to keep your ticker in check, look no further than antioxidants, as they're shown to dilate blood vessels and reduce dangerous clots.
So, as it turns out, strawberries just so happen to be rich in three of these superhero substances, including flavonoids, ellagic acid, and, perhaps the most studied, Vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a major role in basically everything. From fighting cancer to keeping your face wrinkle free, VC is essential to our bodies' growth and development. According to the California Strawberry Commission a mere 8 strawberries (which is 1 serving) provides a whopping 160% of the recommended daily intake for VC (and that's something to be really happy about).
Not to be overlooked, flavinoids, such as anthocyanins, may help aid in the prevention of breast cancer, improve cholesterol levels, and play a role in protecting against heart disease. And according to the American Cancer Society, ellagic acid may reduce the effect of estrogen in promoting the growth of breast cancer cells, help the liver remove cancer-causing cells, and reduce heart disease.
In short, strawberries are beautiful, conveniently small fruits that offer basically a metric ton of benefits. From lowering your blood pressure to protecting against cancer, the mighty strawberry proves that greatness isn't relative to size.