by Dr. Kara Burkhart, ND, L.Ac
Salud Integrative Medicine
The red color of strawberries means they are ripe and healthy
June is your chance to get ripe, local strawberries at the market. Or better yet, go berry picking! See LocalHarvest for farm information. Think of enjoying strawberries as a delicious example of “food as medicine.”
COLORFUL FOOD = HEALTHY FOOD
Red fruits and vegetables are colored by flavonoid pigments including lycopene and anthocyanins. Lycopene, found in tomatoes, is known to help prevent a few types of cancers including prostate. Anthocyanins, the pigments that color strawberries, are fantastic antioxidants that make fruits red to blue colored. Preventing signs of aging and protecting your vessels from inflammation and atheroschlerosis are some of the actions that research has attributed to anthocyanins.
HOW HEALTHY ARE STRAWBERRIES?
Strawberries are nourishing and hydrating. One cup of strawberries (about 8 small/medium sized berries) contains:
• About 50 calories,
• 100 milligrams of vitamin C
• 12 grams of sugar
• 3-4 grams of fiber
• Small amounts of calcium, magnesium folate and potassium
Concerned about the sugar content? Strawberries are considered one of the safer berries for diabetic individuals. Based on the relatively high fiber content, strawberries have a low glycemic index meaning that they will not spike your blood sugar.
ENJOY WITH:
Looking for a vegan alternative to whipped cream? Try soaking walnuts overnight and blending with almond milk, maple syrup, and some fresh vanilla beans. Open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape some of the resinous substance containing the tiny black seeds. Yum!
