Strawberries are probably one of the most vibrant and lustrous fruits at the market, equally loved by children and adults. This heart-shaped fruit has an amazingly sweet aroma, bright red color and sour-sweet taste. Not only are they delicious, but strawberries are also rich in nutrients and vitamins. The benefits strawberries offer the skin and other parts of the body are amazing. Before going thoroughly into these benefits, let’s learn more about what really a strawberry is.
What is a Strawberry?
A strawberry is a juicy berry with a shiny bright red color. It usually grows in places where the temperature is low. The fruit is widely valued for its amazing aroma, juicy texture, sweetness and stunning bright red color. It is usually consumed in large quantities, be it fresh or as an ingredient in processed foods like juice, ice cream or pies. From a botanical perspective, strawberries aren’t actually berries. Technically, they are a cumulative decoration fruit, which means the fleshy part of the fruit doesn’t come from the ovary of the plant but actually contains the ovaries. Each of the seeds seen on surface of strawberry is one of the ovaries of the plant’s flowers.
Nutrition Facts of Strawberries
Here are some of the nutritional values in a cup of fresh strawberries:
-0.6 mg Manganese (29%)
-233 mg Potassium (7%)
-4 mg Vitamin C (149%)
-8 mg Magnesium (5%)
-3 mcg Vitamin K (4%)
-2 IU Vitamin A (89%)
-36 mcg Folate (9%)
-1 gram of protein
-7 grams of sugar
-49 calories
-3 grams of fiber
-0 grams of fat
Health Benefits of Strawberries
Strawberries aren’t just for the skin; they also offer benefits to other parts of the body. That’s right, this is undeniably an amazing fruit! Here are some of the best health benefits of strawberries:
Helps with Detoxification. Strawberries help detoxify the body by restoring the health of the digestive system and providing anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
Rich in Antioxidants. Research suggests that strawberries are rich in antioxidants, including gallic acid, luteolin, quercetin, flavonols and much more. These antioxidants help slow down oxidative stress, which is responsible for the aging process and diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc.
Helps Protect Against Cancer. Research shows the nutrients of strawberries have the ability to fight cancer. In some experimental activities, the fruit showed surprising anticancer activities, suggesting that consuming strawberries helps lower the risk of various types of cancer including colon, breast, prostate and even skin cancer.
Helps Prevent Heart Disease. The antioxidants in strawberries help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by preventing bad cholesterol, limiting arterial plaque build-up, improving blood pressure & blood vessel function and reducing hazardous blood clots.
Helps Improve Brain Health. Studies suggest that adding strawberries and some other berries to your diet can reduce the aging of the brain.
Best Benefits of Strawberries for the Skin
Here are some of the most surprising benefits strawberries offer the skin:
Helps Lighten Skin. Strawberry juice is beneficial in lightening acne scars and blemishes. It also contains ellagic acid, which helps reduce dark spots.
Helps Get Rid of Oily Skin. Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which is good to use as a face mask as it fights oily skin. Furthermore, it can also help revitalize and nourish skin.
Helps Protect the Skin from Harmful UV Rays. The ellagic acid and antioxidants in strawberries help protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Moreover, it also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Helps Reduce Acne. The nutrients in strawberries help clear off the excessive sebum in the skin.
Helps Reduce Aging. The ellagic acid and antioxidant properties of strawberries help prevent the destruction of collagen, which is the cause of wrinkles. Ellagic acid is proven to avert the formation of wrinkles in the face, thus making the skin suppler.
Conclusion
Strawberries are undeniably a powerhouse of nutrition. Incorporating them into your diet is one of the best things you can do for your health. Aside from their health benefits, their skin benefits are also amazing and quite surprising. So if you want to be healthy and look young, try including strawberries in your diet.
