Strawberries: a delicious summer snack and extra protection for the skin
“Scandinavian strawberries are a scrumptious example of just how easy it can be to eat food that benefits the body and soul. An added bonus is that everyone loves these brilliant berries.”
Who doesn’t love deliciously sweet strawberries? Personally, I’m one of those people who always longs for the first Scandinavian strawberries year after year. Even as a child, these mouth-watering berries invoked feelings of happiness, and one of the most important tasks of the summer holidays was quickly running into the garden in the morning to see if any strawberries had ripened over night. Back then, I just thought that they were extremely delicious and knew nothing that modern research has since proven about strawberries’ ability to positively affect the whole body when consumed as part of a healthy and whole-foods plant-based diet. The great thing about strawberries is that they can either be eaten exactly as they are or used in a variety of ways to enhance the taste of most other foods.
“The people with heart benefits had three or more servings of a half cup of blueberries or strawberries each week.”
Strawberries have many positive health benefits
Strawberries are real nutritional treasures and, like many other berries, they contain plenty of substances that are good for our cardiovascular system, such as fibre, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin B9. Moreover, strawberries contain many different antioxidants and the pigment anthocyanin, which is responsible for the red, blue and purple colours of many berries. Together, these nutrients contribute to smoother blood vessels and lower blood pressure, thereby strengthening the cardiovascular system and improving blood flow, which is good for the whole body. In addition, they can positively affect our blood lipids, which is also important for good cardiovascular health. Dr Rimm, professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, oversaw a study that showed that the younger women who ate the most strawberries or blueberries had a 34% lower risk of a heart attack than those who ate the least. According to the study, you need to eat three or more portions (a little over a decilitre) of strawberries or blueberries every week in order to achieve this positive health effect. Strawberries also contain nutrients that researchers believe will be able to counteract and reduce the risk of different cancers, such as colon cancer. One of these nutrients is the antioxidant fisetin, and strawberries have a higher content of fisetin than any other berry.
“It’s not a proper Scandinavian summer without strawberries. But did you know that it’s also a special time to enjoy these delicious berries, as they give our skin extra protection from the sun?”
Enjoy strawberries and protect your skin from sun damage
Did you know that many of the important nutrients that can be found in these extraordinary berries can provide a certain level of protection against UV rays and reduce the risk of sun damage and premature ageing of the skin? Strawberries and, for example, raspberries, contain an exciting antioxidant called ellagic acid, which researchers believe has a protective effect against sun damage. When UV rays hit our skin, free radicals are formed. If we’re in the sun for too long or don’t use enough protection, these free radicals can cause damage to our skin. For example, they can damage proteins such as elastin and collagen, which both contribute to keeping our skin supple and firm. In the worst-case scenario, there may be damage to our genetic material, our DNA, which increases our risk of skin cancer. As ellagic acid and other antioxidants in strawberries, such as vitamin C, can accumulate in the skin when we eat them, they can also neutralise some of the free acid radicals and therefore reduce the risk of damage and premature ageing. In addition, antioxidants in strawberries have an anti-inflammatory effect that can further reduce our risk of being burnt by the sun. Naturally, the most important things are protecting yourself with clothes, choosing when to go out in the sun, using sunscreen and wearing sunglasses. However, strawberries can be a lovely complement to these!
Easy ways to eat more strawberries:
In yoghurt or porridge for breakfast
In smoothies
In fruit salads
In green salads (which are a particularly welcome addition for children)
Delicious home-made ice-cream
As they are for dessert
My favourite strawberry ice-cream
Ingredients
1 punnet of strawberries, preferably ecological
1 ripe banana
10 ml Greek yoghurt
Method:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into a glass container and place in the freezer for approx. 3 hours
My advice:
Try to eat some berries daily, preferably strawberries. Mix strawberries with various other berries. Frozen berries are an excellent alternative when fresh are out of season. Strawberries and other berries can be heavily sprayed with chemicals, so don’t forget to thoroughly wash them. Remember that if you eat natural food, you can assimilate nutrients without the risk of ingesting excessive doses that may lead to negative side effects.
