Strawberry is believed to have its origin in Europe. It is a red juicy fruit that is very much sweet to taste. It is a mix of the two wild species of strawberries from Chile and North America. It is a good source of Vitamin C and manganese and has potassium and folate that are essential for our health.
Fresh strawberries are loved by all, regardless of all age. It is the most nutritious and refreshing fruit that is available these days. The tart berries are rich in antioxidants and help in maintaining the blood sugar level. Hence it is an ideal fruit for even those with diabetes. It has got a lot of health benefits. Consuming a very small amount of strawberries can help us from the risks of heart diseases, cancer as well as diabetes.
Some of the benefits of strawberries
There are around 600 varieties of strawberries. The benefits that strawberries provide to our bodies are innumerable. Some of them are mentioned below.
Helps in preventing heart diseases
The high polyphenol content present in strawberries helps in preventing heart diseases. This plant compound present in strawberries is extremely good for the body. As per studies, strawberries are good at lowering the risk of myocardial infarction, which is a type of heart disease. Quercetin, which is a flavonoid present in strawberries, is a natural anti-inflammatory. Heart health can be well maintained when we consume strawberries regularly as it has fiber as well as potassium.
Prevents Blood pressure
As strawberries have a high potassium content, strawberries provide great health benefits for those who have or who tend to have the risk of getting high blood pressure. Potassium helps to minimize the side effects of sodium, reducing the risks of high blood pressure.
Prevents stroke
Strawberries have antioxidants such as anthocyanin, quercetin, and kaempferol. These antioxidants prevent the risk of getting a stroke.
Constipation
Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, and grapes have a high content of water as well as fiber in them. These help the body to get the right amount of hydration and also regulate bowel movement in a proper way.
Diabetes
People with diabetes can have strawberries as a good and healthy option for getting their daily vitamins without the fear of getting high blood sugar. It has got fiber content that helps to regulate blood sugar and helps to keep the sugar level in a stable way.
Prevention of cancer
Strawberries have strong antioxidants that help to remove free radicals. It helps to decrease inflammation in the body. Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells paves way for cancer. Many studies show that berries are good for preventing many kinds of cancer as they have the ability to destroy free radicals as well as in preventing inflammation. It has been seen that strawberries are able to prevent tumors.
Choosing the berry
Pick the ones that are not bruised, look fresh, and have good color. Bruised ones do not have the wonderful taste and they will get rotten very quickly. Even if refrigerated, try to consume it within a day or two, as the berry tends to catch fungus or will not be suitable for eating.
Risks and Precautions to be taken
Even though strawberries are considered to be healthy, care should be taken to consume them at moderate levels. Normally fruits have a high amount of sugar content in them. A cup of strawberries will have around 8.12 mg of sugar in it. Moreover, strawberries contain pesticide remains with them as it is considered one of the fruits that contain high pesticide content in them. Care should be taken to buy organic strawberries to avoid the potential risks of pesticides. Apart from this, the high intake of potassium can be really harmful to those who have kidney issues.
Even though strawberries are low in calories, delicious and perfect to keep us healthy, care should be taken to consume them at moderate levels to avoid any kind of risks. Add them to the daily diet in small quantities to ensure you have a healthy consumption of vitamins and nutrients.
