Strawberries are luscious red berries that are popular among people of all ages. Believed to be native to France, Strawberries offer several benefits as they are a good source of antioxidants and nutrients. You can eat these bright red, juicy and sweet strawberries as it is, or many people use them in several desserts, jellies, and jams. This article gives you a glimpse into the Strawberry benefits for hair, skin and health in detail. Read on!
Are Strawberries Good for Health?
If you observe closely, the Strawberry’s cute slight heart shape is a significant clue that this fruit is highly beneficial. These fruits help guard against cancer, lower blood pressure, increase good cholesterol, and protect your heart. In addition, they are packed with antioxidants called polyphenols, vitamins, and fibre. Furthermore, strawberries are low-calorie, cholesterol-free, fat-free and sodium-free, making them healthy fruits. Strawberries gained popularity worldwide and are considered an aphrodisiac in provincial France.
Nutritional Benefits of Strawberries:
Nutrients in one cup (166 grams) of Fresh Strawberries are as follows:
- 53 calories.
- 1.11 grams protein.
- 12.7 grams carbohydrates.
- 3.30 grams of dietary fibre.
- 27 milligrams of calcium.
- 0.68 mg iron.
- 22 mg magnesium.
- 254 mg potassium.
- 97.60 mg Vitamin C.
- 40 micrograms folate.
- Twenty international units of Vitamin A.
Benefits of Eating Strawberries For Skin, Hair and Health:
Strawberries are not just attractive to look at; they also offer health, hair, and skin benefits. Let us go through all the benefits associated with the consumption of strawberries.
1. High Levels of Antioxidants:
The high levels of antioxidants are the main benefits of strawberries. For example, vitamin C is an antioxidant necessary for immune and skin health and is present in high amounts in Strawberries (1). The fruit also has Manganese in trace amounts that play an essential role in many body processes. This element is also found in high amounts of whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
2. Strawberry Benefits for Weight Loss:
Strawberries are good for weight loss because they contain ellagic acid and antioxidants, which play a significant role in the process (2). Chronic inflammation blocks hormones that make you lean, resulting in weight gain. Strawberry restores the functionalities of weight-reducing hormones because it is an anti-inflammatory food (3).
In addition, there is an increase in the production of a hormone called adiponectin with the help of the master antioxidants anthocyanins. This hormone suppresses your appetite by promoting metabolism (4).
3. Lower Your Heart Disease Risk:
The strawberries have abundant polyphenols and antioxidants, making the fruit ideal for keeping your heart healthy. For example, anthocyanin is an antioxidant responsible for the Strawberry’s red hue that shields your arteries from plaque build-up and regulates blood pressure by protecting the lining of the circulatory system, making it an ideal choice for heart health (5).
Read: Best Summer Fruits in India
4. Help Fight Cancer:
Yet another benefit of eating strawberries is that they help protect you from cancers of the oesophagus and colon because they are good sources of Vitamin C and fibre. In addition, strawberries can help prevent cancers of the skin, lungs, bladder and breast with the help of anti-cancer properties that are attributed to ellagic acid (6). Ellagic acid acts as an antioxidant that helps your body destroy certain types of carcinogens by slowing down the production of cancer cells.
5. Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes:
Strawberries help slow down the digestion of starchy foods with the help of ellagic acid, an antioxidant making it a strawberry health benefit. This process helps keep the blood sugar levels in check by controlling the rise of blood sugar levels after a starchy meal for type-2 diabetes patients (7). People with diabetes can also eat strawberries. After all, they are unlikely to cause sugar spikes because they have a low glycemic index. It can also regulate blood sugar levels with fibre in the fruit.
6. Lowers Your Cholesterol:
If you were wondering, do strawberries lower cholesterol? Yes! Strawberries might help reduce bad cholesterol levels in our body since it contains a type of soluble fibre called pectin (8). According to a study, several types of soluble fibre, including pectin, have been known to reduce LDL levels (9). In addition, the efficacy of strawberries in lowering bad cholesterol and oxidative damage is proved in another Canadian study (10).
7. Help Lower Blood Pressure:
Strawberries powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins lower blood pressure by relaxing the lining of the blood vessels and opening them in the process (11). It is also the antioxidant that gives the strawberries a vibrant colour. This fruit also helps control blood pressure as it is a rich source of potassium.
8. Good for Your Stomach:
The stomach creates tremendous amounts of free radicles that contribute to oxidative stress compared to other organs. Therefore, there is a chance of developing multiple disorders like gastritis, stomach ulcers, or stomach cancer with oxidative stress in the picture. On the other hand, Strawberry extracts prevented alcohol-induced damage to the rats’ stomach lining, as per the study conducted on rats.
Consumption of strawberries prevents the severity of the damage caused by the damage. The antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of Strawberries are attributed to these effects. Therefore you can avoid stomach disorders caused by oxidative stress by including strawberries in your diet.
9. Helps Maintain Regular Bowel Movements:
Strawberry is good for digestion by decreasing potentially harmful bacteria and increasing the abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria. This fruit also helps move your food through your digestive system and supports bowel movements since it is a rich source of fibre. Therefore, Strawberries are an excellent option for constipation or irregular stools by improving digestion (12).
10 Help Reduce Bloating:
Certain fruits and berries like strawberries have high amounts of fibre that keep you from bloating. In addition, strawberries have 85 to 95 per cent of water and therefore can help reduce bloating. They also help decrease abdominal pressure and bloating by helping food move through the intestines more quickly.
11. May Keep Your Mind Sharp:
Strawberry benefits for the brain are attributed to the high amount of antioxidants that protect your brain cells from free radicals. They also improve brain health by changing how the brain’s neurons communicate (13). In addition, the intake of strawberries can delay memory decline in older women over time, as per a study conducted by some researchers (14). The flavonoids present in strawberries are attributed to the benefits. It was also found that there is a chance of slowing down memory decline with an increased intake of anthocyanidins.
12. Teeth Whitening:
The benefit of eating strawberries every day is that they remove tooth discolouration with the help of malic acid, which acts as an astringent. In addition, you will obtain a smooth blend by crushing the Strawberry to a pulp and combining the mixture with baking soda (15). However, overdoing it might damage your enamel because of the acid in the fruit, so don’t overdo it.
13. Helps Reduce Inflammation Associated with Acne:
The ellagic acid and salicylic acid in Strawberries reduce dark spots and hyperpigmentation (16). In addition, salicylic acid helps tighten your skin pores, preventing further skin breakouts by removing dead skin cells. Strawberries also keep your skin healthy since they are an excellent vitamin C source. The anti-inflammatory properties of strawberries also help reduce the inflammation associated with acne. They also protect your skin from UV radiation by improving your complexion tone and soothing irritated skin.
14. Wound Healing:
Strawberries have anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties that help you tackle scrapes or wounds healthily and naturally (17). Therefore include strawberries in your diet and see the results for yourself.
15. May Promote Hair Growth:
Strawberries have high amounts of vitamin C that promote hair growth by encouraging iron absorption. It has also been found that there is a chance of increased split-ends when there is a deficiency of vitamin C in our body (18). In addition, strawberries have silica that boosts hair growth by slowing down baldness, though more research is needed to prove the same.
Read: Blueberries Health Benefits
16. Boosts Your Immunity:
Vitamin C is available abundantly in Strawberries. Compared to oranges, a single serving of strawberries has more vitamin C. This antioxidant can help enhance your body’s ability to fight infections by triggering immune-boosting antibodies (19). In addition, the supplementation of vitamin C has improved various immune system components, as per the study in Switzerland (20). According to research by South African doctors, there is an increased congregation of immunoglobulin with the supplementation of vitamin C, which plays a vital component of the immune system.
17. Help Your Eyes Stay Healthy:
The antioxidants present in Strawberries are known to prevent eye diseases, including cataracts and macular degeneration (21). In addition, vitamin C in Strawberries also protects the lens’s protein by protecting your eyes from exposure to free radicals from the sun’s harsh UV rays. You will also be able to strengthen your eye’s cornea and retinas with the help of Vitamin C.
18. Helps To Prevent Premature Aging and Wrinkles:
Did you know strawberries can be beneficial for anti-ageing? Yes! The powerful antioxidants present in Strawberries stall the signs of ageing by protecting your body from oxidative damage (22). In addition, this fruit also has an antioxidant called lycopene that staves off ageing signs by playing a prominent role. Strawberries also slow down the ageing process by protecting your skin with the presence of anthocyanins (23).
19. Support a Healthy Pregnancy:
The high amounts of folate help prevent neural tube defects making it essential during pregnancy (24). For example, one cup of raw strawberries can give you 40 micrograms of Folate, 10 % of the recommended daily intake. Therefore, folic acids are essential and commonly recommended supplements for pregnant women (24).
20. Plumps Your Lips:
Plumping up your lips is yet another widespread benefit of eating strawberries for the skin. Strawberries are excellent exfoliators for our skin by removing dead skin cells because it has salicylic acid and vitamin C. It is pretty delicate on your lips and is very effective.
21. Get Rid of Dandruff:
The high nutritional content of strawberries can help fight dandruff since it has a high amount of Vitamin C. You will be able to improve the health of your hair by including a substantial amount of strawberries in your diet.
- Combine some eggs, a few drops of olive oil, strawberries and aloe vera.
- Combine all the ingredients forming a smooth paste.
- Apply the mixture to your hair and leave it for 20 minutes.
- Use lukewarm water to wash your hair.
22. Makes Hair Shiny and Silky:
Strawberries’ benefits for hair come from the high amounts of nutrients present in the fruit. It also helps control hair fall by moisturizing the scalp.
- Mix strawberries and mayonnaise and blend them.
- Apply the paste to your hair and let it remain on your hair for about 20 minutes.
- Washing your hair reveals shiny and silky hair.
23. May Have Benefits for Men:
The high amounts of Vitamin C in Strawberries might boost libido, making strawberries beneficial for men. In addition, studies suggest that when ingested, Vitamin C as food might protect men against prostate cancer which can also provide an indirect benefit to the sex life of men.
Side Effects of Strawberries:
Strawberries offer several benefits to our bodies. But when taken in excess, these fruits can cause the following side effects:
- It is advised to consume strawberries in limited amounts. Although no direct research suggests adverse effects of overeating strawberries, eating them on average during breastfeeding and pregnancy is recommended.
- Strawberries increase the risk of bruising in susceptible individuals and prolong bleeding time.
- If you have bleeding disorders, eat strawberries with caution.
- Though research is limited, Strawberries might slow blood clotting and avoid eating them if you are undergoing surgery.
Strawberries are popular fruits worldwide because they are delicious, are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and are low in calories. These fruits help with several health issues with the help of a wide range of nutrients. However, be careful about the intake of this fruit if you have kidney ailments. Don’t forget to let us know if you found this article helpful!
Read: Raspberry Benefits for Skin
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on pure research and not a replacement for medical advice. It is best to seek advice from a medical professional regarding your health.
1. Is It Safe to Feed Strawberries to Babies?
Ans: Strawberries are highly nutritious fruits that can be beneficial for everyone’s health. But when it comes to kids, it is safe for children above six months once they begin solid foods.
2. Can We Eat Strawberries at Night, and How Many Can We Eat in a Day?
Ans: Yes! Strawberries help aid in digestion and burn fat as these fruits are a rich source of fibre. In addition, to improve heart health and reduce the risk of some cancers, you can consume eight strawberries a day.
3. How Can We Use Strawberries to Educe Puffy Eyes?
Ans: Strawberries help treat puffy eyes with their excellent astringent properties. It also helps keep your skin smooth and young with the help of alpha-hydroxy acid present in them.
Follow these simple steps:
- Place the strawberries in a refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Slice the Strawberry into thin slices and place them over your eyes.
- Let it remain in your eyes for about 15 minutes.
- Use cold water to wash your face.
