Health Benefits of Strawberries

1. Regulates Blood Pressure

Strawberries are highly recommended for people who have high blood pressure. In fact, regular consumption of strawberries even helps prevent hypertension. It also maintains healthy oxygen levels by supporting a consistent blood flow throughout the body.

Being a natural source of potassium, strawberries aid in controlling blood pressure because potassium lessens the effects of sodium. In fact, low potassium intake is one of the risk factors for developing high blood pressure.

A 1998 study published in Hypertension highlights the importance of potassium for blood pressure regulation and reports that potassium supplementation has a modest blood pressure-lowering effect in people with low dietary intake.

In addition, the magnesium content in them contributes to the reduction of blood pressure and improvement of blood flow and oxygenation.

Plus, the vitamin C in strawberries aids in keeping blood pressure under control, especially when dealing with stress. A 2011 study from Brazil shows that vitamin C aids in reducing the mean blood pressure and restoration of peripheral vasodilatation response during mental stress in obese children.

2. Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

The huge amount of fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals and vitamins in strawberries help balance the cholesterol levels in the blood and simultaneously reinforce the cardiac muscle.

A 2004 study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition reports that antioxidants in strawberries help lower the risk of cardiovascular events by inhibiting low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol oxidation, promoting plaque stability, improving vascular endothelial function and decreasing tendency for thrombosis.

Another study published in Metabolism in 2008 found that strawberry supplementation reduced oxidative damage to LDL while maintaining reductions in blood lipids and enhancing diet palatability.

One year later, a study published in Nutrition Journal found that short-term supplementation of freeze-dried strawberries appeared to exert hypocholesterolemic effects and decrease lipid peroxidation in women with metabolic syndrome.

A recent 2014 study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry also confirms that strawberry consumption improves the plasma lipids profile, biomarkers of antioxidant status, antihemolytic defenses and platelet function in healthy subjects.

By reducing the bad cholesterol in the blood, which causes plaque to build up in arteries, strawberries play a key role in lowering cardiovascular diseases as well as strokes.

A 2013 study published in Circulation found women who ate three or more servings of strawberries a week reduced their risk of a heart attack by 32 percent.

Furthermore, these berries decrease the inflammatory response within the body, which is one of the major causes of heart disease.

3. Maintains Healthy Skin

The several antioxidants in strawberries, including vitamin C, help prevent damage to the skin and body caused by free radicals. Vitamin C contributes to the production of collagen in the skin, which is needed for maintaining skin elasticity and resilience.

A 2005 study published in Dermatological Surgery highlights the importance of topical application of vitamin C as a useful agent for treating photoaging and other dermatologic conditions. It can provide cutaneous benefits – promoting collagen synthesis, protecting against ultraviolet (UV) A and B rays, lightening hyperpigmentation and improving a variety of inflammatory dermatomes.

Also, strawberries are capable of protecting your skin against the damage of UV-B rays. Anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant in strawberries, protects the skin from the damaging effects of the environment, especially the sun. The antioxidant power of anthrocyanin lasts up to 24 hours after consumption.

Also, the lycopene in strawberries helps fight skin aging signs.

Regular consumption of strawberries makes your skin look younger and healthier, without signs of aging like wrinkles and age spots. You can even use these berries to make face masks.

1. Combine ½ cup of mashed strawberries, 1 teaspoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of milk cream.
2. Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
3. Apply this paste all over your face and neck.
4. Allow it to sit for 20 to 25 minutes, then wash it off with cool water and pat dry.
5. Use this face pack once a week.

4. Helps Fight Cancer

Strawberry consumption is also associated with a lower risk for esophageal, breast, colon, prostate and skin cancer.

The high vitamin C (an antioxidant) in strawberries can help with cancer prevention, since a healthy immune system is the body’s best defense. Antioxidants are scavengers to free radicals and neutralize the potentially negative effect they can have on cells.

Also, the phytochemicals, such as quercetin and ellagic acid, found in strawberries yield anticancer properties like suppressing cancer cell growth.

According to a 2006 study published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, organically grown strawberries have high antiproliferative activity and anticarcinogenic properties.

A 2012 study published in Cancer Prevention Research highlights the potential of freeze-dried strawberry powder for preventing esophageal cancer, supporting further clinical testing of this natural agent.

5. Boosts Immunity

Strawberries contain vitamin C, which plays an important role in boosting your immunity.

In fact, just one serving of strawberries contains 51.5 mg of vitamin C, which is about half of your daily requirement.

Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, helps the white blood cells function properly so that they can respond quickly to infections. It also enables the body to combat toxins and foreign bodies.

Also, vitamin C helps fight against the free radicals, which can cause damage to DNA or healthy cells, leading to numerous diseases like heart disease or cancer.

A 2011 study published in the Central European Journal of Medicine highlights the role of vitamin C on the selected cells of the immune system and potential molecular mechanisms involved. It shows that vitamin C has a positive impact on the immune system.

Regular consumption of strawberries can help with common problems like coughs, colds and other infections.