With the bounty of organic summertime strawberries currently available, there’s no time like the present to appreciate all the exceptional health benefits of this remarkable fruit. As a mighty guardian against a host of chronic diseases, strawberries are a delicious way to fortify the body. Researchers agree: Strawberries might be common in widespread availability, but are far from ordinary in their valuable properties.
A flavorful protector
For those who would like to defend against cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and diabetes, strawberries are an excellent choice. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry discovered strawberry extract decreased proliferation of both colon (HT29) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells.
Inhibition of HT29 cells was 53 percent while MCF-7 cells averaged 43 percent. Researchers believe abundant phytonutrients, ellagic acid and ellagitannins present in the fruit are responsible for the findings. Organic strawberries had higher anti-carcinogenic characteristics than conventional varieties.
Cardiovascular disease is also kept in check by regular consumption of strawberries. Due to the potent antioxidants within the fruit, elevated blood pressure, hyperglycemia, circulating adhesion molecules and inflammation were lowered in test subjects when 50 grams of freeze-dried strawberries were ingested daily during an eight-week randomized controlled trial, according to documentation in Nutrition Research.
Additionally, scientists at the University of Warwick in the U.K. found that strawberries not only deterred heart disease, but also the vascular complications of diabetes.
Read more: Natural News
