It's now spring and the season for strawberries. If you love strawberries, you surely won't miss out. But while you're enjoying their sweet and tart flavor, have you ever thought about what other benefits they can bring to your health besides being delicious?
8 Health Benefits of Strawberries
Anti-cancer. Strawberries are rich in nutrients like vitamin C, which helps fight cancers such as breast cancer, esophageal cancer, cervical cancer, and stomach cancer. Strawberries also contain anthocyanins and quercetin. These flavonoids can inhibit the activity of cancer cells in colon, prostate, lung, oral, tongue, and liver cancers.
Heart-healthy. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating strawberries regularly can help lower blood lipids and the risk of vascular inflammation. Strawberries also contain folate, which is beneficial for heart health. Several studies have found that people with low folate levels have an increased risk of fatal coronary heart disease.
Aids digestion. One cup of strawberries (about 150 grams) provides 15% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber for adults. Dietary fiber is beneficial for digestion and improving digestive tract health.
Eye-healthy. A study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology found that eating 3 to 5 servings of strawberries daily (80 grams per serving) can reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration by 36%.
Joint-healthy. A study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found that people who consume large amounts of vitamin C-rich foods have a threefold lower risk of developing polyarthritis.
Brain-healthy. The latest research from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University shows that strawberries can prevent age-related cognitive decline.
Teeth-whitening. Crush one strawberry and mix it with half a teaspoon of baking soda to form a paste. Apply the mixture to your teeth, leave it for 5 minutes, then rinse and brush your teeth, and floss. The malic acid in the mixture helps remove tooth stains, making your teeth whiter.
Increases flexibility. A study from Harvard Medical School found that eating strawberries regularly can improve body flexibility and prevent Parkinson's disease. This is because strawberries are rich in the flavonoid antioxidant anthocyanins.