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RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE
Research Shows Strawberries Can Be A Boost To Overall Health
by leslie redmond, phd ms rdn
Strawberries are universally loved by consumers. In a recent survey among primary grocery shoppers, 32 percent
named strawberries as their favorite fruit — signi cantly higher than any other variety. With nearly 90 percent of the nation’s fresh strawberries grown on family farms in Cal- ifornia, strawberries are widely available at acceptable prices. Not only are they the most available and affordable berry on the market, but they are also exceptionally healthy. Berries are nutrient-dense; strawberries provide 110 percent of the recommended daily value for vitamin C, 3 grams of heart-healthy ber, blood pressure-regulating potassium and chronic dis- ease-preventing antioxidants at only 50 calories and 8 grams of sugar per 1-cup serving.
At a time when diet-related chronic diseases, such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, are affecting millions of Americans, the value of nutrient density cannot be overlooked. Unfortunately, berry consumption accounts for only 10 percent of total fruit consumption among U.S. adults.1 As health professionals strive to in uence consumers to increase fruit consumption, it is important to investigate the health bene ts of berries so consumers are empowered to make informed and intentional dietary choices in support of their health.
For more than a decade, the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) has supported nutrition research with the goal of increasing awareness, improving understanding, and realizing the potential of the extraordinary health bene ts of strawberries. Current areas of exploration include clinical human trials in heart health, metabolic function, in amma- tion, cognition and even bone health, with the largest bodies of evidence established for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), improvement of insulin sensitivity and delayed cognitive decline associated with aging.
Heart disease. Research conducted by Arpita Basu and colleagues (2014) at Oklahoma State University examined whether freeze- dried strawberries (FDS) improved lipid and lipoprotein pro les and lowered markers of in ammation in overweight and hypercholes- terolemic adults.2 In this study, 60 volunteers
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were randomized to consume one of four beverages ranging in dose of FDS once a day for 12 weeks. Results revealed signi cantly greater decreases in total and LDL cholesterol among participants randomized to the high- dose FDS beverage (50 g/day) as compared to the low-dose FDS (25 g/day) and control.
Type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association includes strawberries as a top 10 superfood for diabetics because of their high ber, low sugar and low glycemic index. The CSC has supported research that contributes to this superfood status. Eunyoung Park and colleagues (2016) at Illinois Institute of Tech- nology investigated the dose-response rela- tionship of strawberries on post-meal glucose and insulin concentrations.3 Twenty-one adults with insulin resistance were randomized to consume a high-fat meal with one of four beverages ranging from 0 g FDS to 40 g FDS. Analysis showed post-meal insulin concen- trations were signi cantly reduced after the 40g FDS beverage compared with the other beverages, indicating strawberries reduced the amount of insulin needed for metabolism.
Cognition. Some age-related cognitive decline is normal: recent memories, tasks that require divided attention, word retrieval, and speed of cognitive and motor processes all experience some degree of decline with age. However, there are lifestyle behaviors that help counter this decline — including eating more strawberries. Elizabeth Devore and colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston (2012) analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study and found greater intakes of straw- berries were associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and concluded that berry intake appeared to delay cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years.4
Research in these areas has led to the obser- vation that consuming one serving of strawber- ries at least three times per week can improve
health. These ndings are easily translated to consumers with the catch phrase “8-a-day.” In other words, just eight strawberries a day, a few days per week, is all it takes to bene t from health-promoting strawberries.
Scienti cally supported health bene ts, in addition to consumers’ natural af nity for strawberries, have helped make these berries a go-to choice for any occasion. Their versatile avor pro le makes them an easy addition to main dishes and desserts alike, and their nutrient pro le allows them to t into nearly any dietary plan, leaving strawberries poised to remain Americans’ favorite fruit as consumers and health professionals seek out more nutri- ent-dense, whole food options to improve health through diet.
1 Healthy People 2020. Available at https:// bit.ly/1kzjABq
2 Basu A, Betts NM, Nguyen A, Newman ED, Fu D, Lyons TJ. Freeze-dried strawberries lower serum cholesterol and lipid peroxidation in adults with abdominal adiposity and elevated serum lipids. J Nutr. 2014;144:830-837.
3 Park E, Edirisinghe I, Wei H, Vijayakumar LP, Banaszewski K, Cappozzo JC, Burton-Freeman, B. A dose-response evaluation of freeze-dried strawberries independent of ber content on metabolic indices in abdominally obese indi- viduals with insulin resistance in a randomized, single-blinded, diet-controlled crossover trial. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2016;60:1099-1109.
4 Devore EE, Kang JH, Breteler MMB, Grod- stein F. Dietary intakes of berries and avonoids in relation to cognitive decline. Ann Neurol. 2012;72:135-143.
The California Strawberry Commission is a state-char- tered agency that represents more than 400 strawberry farmers, shippers and processors. Commission pro- grams create opportunities for success through ground- breaking programs focused on workforce training, strawberry production research and nutrition research. Through science-based information and education, we deliver the news about sustainable farming practices that bene t the health of people, farms and communi- ties.