Strawberries – Why They’re Good For Our Daily Diet

There are over 600 varieties of Strawberries and they are grown in gardens all over the world. In Britain, especially during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, visitors consume a staggering 27,000 kilos of Strawberries – along with 7,000 litres of cream! However we should all ensure we include more of them in our daily diet, as they are so good for us. Below is a list of ten reasons why we should all be making more effort to tuck into Strawberries.

1. Strawberries are an excellent low calorie treat. A 144 gram serving (one cup full) of Strawberries contains approximately 45 calories, as well as containing essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
2. Strawberries contain anthocyanins. They are a powerful antioxidant that not only gives Strawberries their red colour, but also assists in protecting the cells in our body.
3. A cup of Strawberries contains more Vitamin C than an orange! This is great news for your skin, teeth and red blood cells and for helping your body fight infection. Vitamin C also helps us form collagen, a protein that connects and supports the tissues, skin and tendons of our body.
4. They are also good for your heart, as the phenol Strawberries contain is good for your heart, as well as being an excellent anti-inflammatory, as they inhibit the activity of one of the enzymes that causes inflammation.
5. Wild Strawberries are smaller however their flavour is more intense.
6. In the UK Strawberries are in season between May and September.
7. Strawberries also contain essential vitamins. These include vitamin C, riboflavin, folate, vitamin A and vitamin E.
8. It has been stated that the ellagitannin that Strawberries contains can help in reducing the risk in the rate of fatality from certain cancers, including colon cancer, compared to those people who eat no Strawberries in their diet.
9. Let us not forget minerals – Strawberries also contains various minerals – including zinc, potassium, magnesium andironcopper and selenium. These minerals are essential as they enable us to maintain healthy bones, metabolism and water balance.
10. Growing Strawberries at home yourself is really easy and will help make it a cheap, relatively effortless stable to your garden and your diet.

Some people can actually have an anaphylactoid reaction to eating Strawberries. The most common form of reaction is oral allergy syndrome, affecting the mouth and lips – which usually happens within a few minutes of eating Strawberries. It shows as an itching or burning sensation, possibly a swelling of lips and tongue. Sometimes the symptoms show as hay fever-like symptoms. It is usually treated with an antihistamine. This is rare, so don’t let this put you off adding this beautiful fruit to your daily diet.