Whether it’s the shape of their heart, the fascinating color, or the fact that they make such a sweet companion, strawberries are often associated with romance.
And if strawberries are the food of love, eat them, experts say.
Not only does strawberry taste good, but nutritionally speaking, it has the advantage of being easy to consume.
Arpita Basu, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has led some research on strawberries and considers them “very unique in terms of public health nutrition.”
For starters, she praises them for their low calorie and high nutrient content. The exact amount depends on the type and ripeness of the fruit, Bass said. However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, a glass of strawberries has only 46 calories. It contains nearly 85 milligrams of Vitamin C. This is the daily supply for adult women, which is about 94% of the recommended amount for adult men.
Strawberries are also low in sodium and are an excellent source of several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, which is important for the healthy functioning of the heart, nerves and kidneys and muscle contraction. The cup provides 220 mg, about 8% of women’s daily needs, or 6% of men.
According to one expert, frozen strawberries have a nutritional value very similar to that of fresh fruits. |
Bass also praises strawberries for their high levels of phytochemicals, which are plant-based compounds that are believed to provide multiple health benefits.
Some research in favor of strawberries is going straight.
– A 2007 study of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition used data collected over 16 years from more than 34,000 overweight postmenopausal women in the Iowa Women’s Health Study to eat strawberries and the heart. Associated with lowering the risk of dying from illness.
– According to a 2020 analysis of several strawberry studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition, strawberries “significantly” level C-reactive proteins, which are markers of inflammation that can be used to assess the risk of heart disease. Decreased to. “
– In 2021, a small, carefully controlled study of the Journal of Nutrition suggested that strawberry intake improves vascular function in people with moderate hypercholesterolemia.
– Also in 2021, another small, carefully managed study led by Bass and published in the journal Nutrients found that high-cholesterol obese adults who ate 2.5 servings of strawberries daily were insulin resistant. I found that I saw an improvement.
All of that, and also delicious. Perhaps that’s why strawberries are now grown in all states and around the world. In the United States, per capita consumption increased from £ 2 per capita in 1980 to £ 8 in 2013, according to USDA.
But perhaps because the fruits we know are relatively recent developments, humans have never had the feel of such an enthusiastic strawberry.
Small and wild strawberries are always on the market. However, ancient Greek and Roman writers rarely mention it. The heavier berry ancestors we eat today were not created until the 1700s, when French farmers mistakenly bred varieties imported from Chile and Virginia.
The connection of strawberry love is before that. In Cherokee’s creative story, the first battle between a man and a woman is settled by the heavenly gift of strawberries. In European art, strawberries are associated with both sacredness and temptation.
If you’re tempted to indulge in strawberries, go right away, Bus said.
Bass, who is conducting research with the support of the California Strawberry Commission, said he could choose between fresh and frozen. “Frozen strawberries provide nutritional value very similar to fresh fruits.”
If you are looking for something fresh, look carefully at the container. Strawberries can quickly spoil. Experts say you need to look for red fruits with bright green caps. Do not cut or rinse them until you are ready to serve them.
Strawberries grown by traditional methods may contain a lot of pesticide residues, but Bass said: To make someone sick. She eats both organic and non-organic versions.
Jelly and jammed strawberries lose a lot of nutrients during processing and consume a lot of sugar, Bass said. But for a healthy dessert, she enjoys strawberries with a little whipped cream.
And if you’re thinking of strawberries soaked in chocolate for your love (or yourself), she said it might be okay. Chocolate adds sugar, but if you choose dark chocolate, you’ll get a lot of cocoa, which is rich in healthy flavonoids.
The taste and convenience of strawberries makes it an easy way to get more fruits and vegetables into the day. “It’s always difficult to change behavior,” she said. “But it’s relatively easier to add what people want to eat than to change the whole diet.”
