If you’re not a fan of strawberries, you should be. Not only are they juicy and delicious, they’re a bona fide superfood. Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa) are bright red berries famous for their juicy and sweet taste. They are rich in vitamin C, manganese, folate (vitamin B9) and potassium.
An animal study found that they can inhibit tumor formation in oral cancer.[1] Clinical studies suggest that they can also decrease tumor formation in liver cancer cells.[2] Studies show that berries can improve heart health.[3,4,5,6] A study done on middle-aged people with established risk of heart disease found that berries increased HDL (good) cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, and improved the blood platelet function.[7] Strawberries have antioxidants that decrease oxidative stress, stop inflammation and decrease the levels of fat in the blood. They also reduce the harmful oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, thus lowering heart disease risk.[8,9,10,11,12]
Ellagic acid and ellagitannins (antioxidants) present in strawberries could be responsible for their cancer-protective effects.[13,14]
Strawberries For Diabetes
When we eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into simple sugars that are then released into the bloodstream.
As the blood sugar levels rise, the body secretes insulin which allows cells to use the sugar from the bloodstream and use it for fuel or storage. An imbalance in blood sugar levels or eating foods that increase blood sugar levels rapidly is associated with the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.[15,16,17]
Studies show that strawberries can slow down the digestion of glucose and reduce spikes in blood sugar and insulin following a carbohydrate-rich meal, which can help in the management of diabetes.[18,19,20,21]
How To Use Them
- Eat five to six strawberries after your meals to have better control over your blood sugar levels.
For more interesting stories, visit our Health page and read about other Natural Remedies here.
Read More:
Living With Diabetes: Practical Ways To Manage The Condition Better (Part 1)
Living With Diabetes: Practical Ways To Manage The Condition Better (Part 2)
Health Quiz: Are You At Risk Of Diabetes?
Quick Fix: Pears For Type 2 Diabetes
Quick Fix: Apple Cider Vinegar For Diabetes
Relieve It With A Herb: Cranberries For Diabetes
References:
1. Casto BC, Knobloch TJ, Galioto RL, Yu Z, Accurso BT, Warner BM. Chemoprevention of oral cancer by lyophilized strawberries. Anticancer Res. 2013 Nov;33(11):4757-66. PubMed PMID: 24222110; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4102317.
2. Meyers KJ, Watkins CB, Pritts MP, Liu RH. Antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of strawberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Nov 5;51(23):6887-92. PubMed PMID: 14582991.
3. Basu A, Rhone M, Lyons TJ. Berries: emerging impact on cardiovascular health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Mar;68(3):168-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00273.x. Review. PubMed PMID: 20384847; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3068482.
4. Ellis CL, Edirisinghe I, Kappagoda T, Burton-Freeman B. Attenuation of meal-induced inflammatory and thrombotic responses in overweight men and women after 6-week daily strawberry (Fragaria) intake. A randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2011;18(4):318-27. Epub 2011 Jan 13. PubMed PMID: 21242652.
5. Chun OK, Chung SJ, Claycombe KJ, Song WO. Serum C-reactive protein concentrations are inversely associated with dietary flavonoid intake in U.S. adults. J Nutr. 2008 Apr;138(4):753-60. PubMed PMID: 18356331.
6. Wallace TC. Anthocyanins in cardiovascular disease. Adv Nutr. 2011 Jan;2(1):1-7. doi: 10.3945/an.110.000042. Epub 2011 Jan 10. Review. PubMed PMID: 22211184; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3042791.
7. Erlund I, Koli R, Alfthan G, Marniemi J, Puukka P, Mustonen P, Mattila P, Jula A. Favorable effects of berry consumption on platelet function, blood pressure, and HDL cholesterol. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Feb;87(2):323-31. PubMed PMID: 18258621.
8. Mazza GJ. Anthocyanins and heart health. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2007;43(4):369-74. Review. PubMed PMID: 18209270.
9. Basu A, Nguyen A, Betts NM, Lyons TJ. Strawberry as a functional food: an evidence-based review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(6):790-806. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.608174. Review. PubMed PMID: 24345049.
10. Huntley AL. The health benefits of berry flavonoids for menopausal women: cardiovascular disease, cancer and cognition. Maturitas. 2009 Aug 20;63(4):297-301. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2009.05.005. Epub 2009 Jun 10. Review. PubMed PMID: 19520526.
11. Henning SM, Seeram NP, Zhang Y, Li L, Gao K, Lee RP, Wang DC, Zerlin A, Karp H, Thames G, Kotlerman J, Li Z, Heber D. Strawberry consumption is associated with increased antioxidant capacity in serum. J Med Food. 2010 Feb;13(1):116-22. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0048. PubMed PMID: 20136444.
12. Tulipani S, Alvarez-Suarez JM, Busco F, Bompadre S, Quiles JL, Mezzetti B, Battino M. Strawberry consumption improves plasma antioxidant status and erythrocyte resistance to oxidative haemolysis in humans. Food Chem. 2011 Sep 1;128(1):180-6. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.03.025. Epub 2011 Mar 29. PubMed PMID: 25214346.
13. Pinto Mda S, de Carvalho JE, Lajolo FM, Genovese MI, Shetty K. Evaluation of antiproliferative, anti-type 2 diabetes, and antihypertension potentials of ellagitannins from strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) using in vitro models. J Med Food. 2010 Oct;13(5):1027-35. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0257. PubMed PMID: 20626254.
14. Xue H, Aziz RM, Sun N, Cassady JM, Kamendulis LM, Xu Y, Stoner GD, Klaunig JE. Inhibition of cellular transformation by berry extracts. Carcinogenesis. 2001 Feb;22(2):351-6. Erratum in: Carcinogenesis 2001 May;22(5):831-3. PubMed PMID: 11181460.
15. Ludwig DS. The glycemic index: physiological mechanisms relating to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. JAMA. 2002 May 8;287(18):2414-23. Review. PubMed PMID: 11988062.
16. Rizkalla SW. Glycemic index: is it a predictor of metabolic and vascular disorders? Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2014 Jul;17(4):373-8. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000070. Review. PubMed PMID: 24878873.
17. Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Long-term effects of low glycemic index/load vs. high glycemic index/load diets on parameters of obesity and obesity-associated risks: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Aug;23(8):699-706. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2013.04.008. Epub 2013 Jun 17. Review. PubMed PMID: 23786819.
18. Törrönen R, Sarkkinen E, Tapola N, Hautaniemi E, Kilpi K, Niskanen L. Berries modify the postprandial plasma glucose response to sucrose in healthy subjects. Br J Nutr. 2010 Apr;103(8):1094-7. doi: 10.1017/S0007114509992868. Epub 2009 Nov 24. PubMed PMID: 19930765.
19. Edirisinghe I, Banaszewski K, Cappozzo J, Sandhya K, Ellis CL, Tadapaneni R, Kappagoda CT, Burton-Freeman BM. Strawberry anthocyanin and its association with postprandial inflammation and insulin. Br J Nutr. 2011 Sep;106(6):913-22. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511001176. Epub 2011 May 16. PubMed PMID: 21736853.
20. Törrönen R, Sarkkinen E, Niskanen T, Tapola N, Kilpi K, Niskanen L. Postprandial glucose, insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 responses to sucrose ingested with berries in healthy subjects. Br J Nutr. 2012 May;107(10):1445-51. doi: 10.1017/S0007114511004557. Epub 2011 Sep 20. PubMed PMID: 21929838.
21. Törrönen R, Kolehmainen M, Sarkkinen E, Poutanen K, Mykkänen H, Niskanen L. Berries reduce postprandial insulin responses to wheat and rye breads in healthy women. J Nutr. 2013 Apr;143(4):430-6. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.169771. Epub 2013 Jan 30. PubMed PMID: 23365108.
