I’m once again thrilled to be partnering with the California Strawberry Commission and sharing some important information about strawberries from the state that grows more than anywhere else in the world – California.
Fortunately for all parties involved, fresh strawberry season in California is robust and stretches from February until November – meaning it’s still going strong as we speak.
Keen observers of my blog will know that today’s article is not my first time talking California strawberries and I highly encourage you guys to take a peak at my previous article because it has some truly great information that, for the sake of fresh new content, I will not be repeating in this post.
Today I am coming in with a whole new angle focusing on the evidence around strawberry’s disease fighting capabilities.
Given all that they offer nutritionally, it probably won’t surprise you to hear that strawberry intake tends to be associated with good health.
In fact, strawberries are often referred to as a functional foods because they offer clear and measurable health benefits well beyond just their basic nutritional capacity.
Yes, 8 California Strawberries have more vitamin C than both a kiwi or a medium-sized orange, but there are so many more reasons why you need to up your strawberry game.
And I know you can’t wait to find out exactly what those are.
So sit back, relax and let me teach you 3 very important reasons why you should be eating more California Strawberries to improve your health.
3 Reasons to Eat More California Strawberries
Strawberries can protect against arthritis: The Arthritis Foundation identifies strawberries as “one of the best fruits for Arthritis” at least partially due to a number of studies that have demonstrated promising results of strawberry intake as it relates to pain and inflammation.
Owing to their high content of vitamin C and diverse array of protective phytochemical compounds, it comes as no surprise that strawberry intake was shown to reduce blood levels of inflammatory markers.
Strawberries can protect against cancer : The American Institute for Cancer Research ( AICR) identifies all types of berries as foods that are protective against certain types of cancers.
Vitamin C and fibre, of which strawberries are both a rich source of, are respectively considered protective against esophageal and colorectal cancer according to the AICR.
They also note that Strawberries in particular are rich in the phytochemical known as ellagic acid, which has been show to have a strong anti-cancer capacity in laboratory settings.
Strawberries can protect against cardiovascular disease: Heart disease is the single biggest cause of death in North America that is heavily preventable through healthier eating.
So, when I say that a nice bowl of 8 California strawberries is good for your heart, I mean that literally.
Strawberry intake has been associated with reductions in both blood pressure and LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels, both of which play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Final Thoughts
There you have it folks.
Not that you really needed even a single new reason to go out and enjoy what is surely one of the healthiest and most delicious foods in our food system, but hey the extra knowledge doesn’t hurt.
Until next time,
Andy De Santis RD MPH
