New research from San Diego State University indicates that daily consumption of strawberries can enhance cognitive function, reduce blood pressure, and bolster antioxidant capacity. This underlines the distinct health benefits of strawberries, taking their standing as a superfood to new heights.
Strawberries are packed with essential nutrients, including vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, and folate. Uniquely, they are remarkably high in vitamin C—just eight strawberries can fulfil your daily intake.
Additionally, strawberries offer a robust array of antioxidants, such as polyphenols, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and phytosterols, which aid in cholesterol reduction.
Dr Shirin Hooshmand, who led the study, expressed optimism about the role of strawberries in improving cognitive function and cardiovascular health. “Adding strawberries to the daily diet may improve these outcomes in older adults,” she explained.
Adding more strawberries to your diet could significantly boost heart and brain health. Registered dietitian Allison Tallman suggests adding them to smoothies, salads, or yoghurt parfaits, or simply enjoying them as a stand-alone snack. This berry has profound health benefits that make it a valuable addition to our daily diets.
How many servings of strawberries are healthy?
Dr Shirin Hooshmand, a professor in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at San Diego State University and principal investigator on the study, said that the idea for this study came from previous research, Medical News Today reports.
“Before conducting our clinical study, some of the similar effects were shown in animal studies and some human studies, but in different populations and using different study designs,” she explained.
For this study, Dr Hooshmand and her team conducted a study with 35 healthy men and women between the ages of 66 and 78. Over eight weeks, each day, study participants either consumed 26 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder—equivalent to two servings of fresh strawberries—or a control powder.
At the end of the eight weeks, researchers found those who ate the strawberries increased their cognitive processing speed by 5.2%, lowered their systolic blood pressure by 3.6%, and increased their antioxidant capacity by 10.2% when compared to those who took the control powder.
In regards to their findings, Dr Hooshmand said they expected to see improvement in the antioxidant capacity as strawberries are a good source of vitamin C. They also expected to see some improvement in cognitive processing speed based on their hypothesis.
“Previously published research has already shown some of the acute and long-term cardiovascular health benefits of strawberries in different populations, so this is great to confirm some of those findings,” Dr Hooshmand said when asked about the blood pressure findings.
What makes strawberries so healthy?
Strawberries (genus Fragaria) were first grown in gardens in France in the late 18th century. However, they could be found in the wild as far back as Roman times.
Today, strawberries are grown in many parts of the world, with most production occurring in the United States, Turkey, and Spain.
Interestingly, although strawberries are considered “berries,” they are technically an accessory or aggregate fruit because of how they grow.
Strawberries contain many vitamins and minerals the body needs to stay healthy, including vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, and folate (vitamin B9).
Additionally, strawberries are very high in vitamin C; eating just eight strawberries provides the body with its daily vitamin C intake.
Strawberry is known to have a large amount of antioxidants, including polyphenols and phytosterols. Polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and phytosterols aid in lowering cholesterol levels.
Previous research has linked strawberry consumption to a lowered risk for heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and even potentially helping prevent cancer.
