Why you should add more berries into your daily diet
Here are 10 Strawberry Benefits that you do not wish to overlook.
If you’re not already a fan of berries, then you should be. Not only are they juicy, summery and delicious, they are a bona fide superfood, also. Nutrient-rich and packaged with antioxidants (such as vitamin C), the advantages of berries are endless, and some will even surprise you. (Wrinkle-prevention? Yes !) .
Give your immunity a boost
“Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C,” says Toronto-based registered dietitian Madeleine Edwards. Many mammals — except for people — have the ability to produce vitamin C naturally, which explains why it’s essential to get your daily requirement. “Double a serving to one cup and receive 100 percent.” Vitamin C is a well-known immunity booster, as well as a strong, fast-working antioxidant.
Maintain your healthy eyesight
The antioxidant properties in berries may also help to prevent Alzheimer’s — the clouding over of the eye lens — that may result in blindness in older age. Vitamin C also plays an important role in strengthening the eye’s cornea and retina.
Ward off cancer
Vitamin C is one of those antioxidants which could help with cancer prevention, since a healthy immune system is your body’s best defense. “Ellagic acid was proven to produce anti-cancer properties like suppressing cancer cell growth,” says Edwards. “Strawberries also contain antioxidants lutein and zeathancins. Antioxidants are scavengers into free-radicals and neutralize the potentially negative effect they can have on our cells,” she says.
Maintain your wrinkles at bay
The ability of vitamin C strawberries continues, since it’s very important to the production of collagen, which helps improve skin’s elasticity and resilience. Since we lose collagen as we age, eating foods full of vitamin C might lead to healthier, younger-looking skin. But vitamin C isn’t the only naturally-occuring wrinkle fighter found in this fruit. Researchers at Hallym University in the Republic of Korea reasoned that ellagic acid visibly prevented collagen destruction and inflammatory reaction — two major elements in the creation of wrinkles — in skin cells, after continuing exposure to skin-damaging UV-B rays.
Lower your cholesterol
Fortunately, the advantages of berries consist of powerful heart-health boosters. “Ellagic acid and flavonoids — or phytochemical — can give an antioxidant effect that can gain heart health in various ways,” explains Edwards. “One way includes counteracting the impact of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL — cholesterol from the bloodstream, that causes plaque to build up in arteries. A second way is that they provide an anti-inflammatory effect, which can be great for the heart.”
Researchers at the Medical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center in Toronto analyzed the benefits of strawberries on a cholesterol-lowering diet and concluded that adding them to the diet reduced oxidative damage, in addition to blood lipids — both of which play a part in heart disease and diabetes.
Reduce pesky inflammation
The antioxidants and phytochemicals found in berries may also help reduce inflammation of the joints, which might lead to arthritis and may also lead to heart disease. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that women who consume 16 or more berries a week are 14 percent less likely to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) — an indicator of inflammation in the body.
Potassium is yet another heart healthy nutrient, as well as 134 milligrams per serving, strawberries are considered a”medium supply,” based on Alberta Health Services. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and might even help to lower elevated blood pressure by acting as a buffer against the damaging effects of sodium. Thanks to their impact on the reduction of LDL, inflammation and also higher blood pressure, these benefits of berries have earned the very small fruit the name among the most heart-healthy fruits you can eat.
Boost your fibre intake
Fibre is a necessity for healthy digestion, and strawberries naturally contain approximately 2 grams per serving. Problems that could occur from lack of fiber contain constipation and diverticulitis — an inflammation of the intestines, which affects roughly 50 percent of people over 60. Fibre may also aid in fighting type two diabetes. “Fibre helps slow the absorption of sugars (i.e., glucose) from the blood,” says Edwards. “As a result, adults who are managing diabetes can enjoy strawberries — in moderation — in their diet.”
Assist in weight control
Keeping a healthy weight is one of the greatest defenses against type 2 diabetes and heart disease, not to mention just plain great for your general well-being. “Strawberries are naturally low in calories (around 28 calories per serving), fat-free and low in both sugar and sodium,” says Edwards. “Strawberries do contain natural sugars, though overall sugars are rather low with 4 grams per serving — and also the total carbohydrate content is equal to less than a half piece of bread. Triple your serving to 1.5 cups and you’re going to have a snack that’s less than 100 calories and a lot fitter than those pre-packaged 100-calorie snacks!” Add strawberries to one of these low-cal smoothie recipes and you’ll have the perfect snack or breakfast.
Help to promote pre-natal health
Folate is a B-vitamin recommended for women that are pregnant or attempting to conceive, and berries are a fantastic source with 21 milligrams per serving. Folate is essential in the early stages of pregnancy to aid in the development of the baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord, as well as the folic acid in strawberries might help to prevent certain birth defects, such as spina bifida. Then read up on the health and beauty benefits of blueberries.
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