The tiny strawberry is packed with vitamin C, fibre, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The heart-shaped silhouette of the strawberry is the first clue that this fruit is good for you! These potent little packages protect your heart by increasing HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering your blood pressure, and can help prevent age-related memory loss and dementia, and even guard against cancer.
Strawberry
A cup of strawberries contains:
0.96 g Protein
11 grams of carb
7 grams of sugar
46 Calories
2.9 g Dietary Fiber
Vitamin A -17 IU
Vitamin B1 – .035 mg
Vitamin B2 – .032 mg
Vitamin B3 -.556 mg
Vitamin B5 – 0.18 mg
Vitamin B6 – .068 mg
Vitamin C – 84.7 mg
Vitamin E – .42 mg
Vitamin K – 3.2 mcg
Folic acid – 34 mcg.
Potassium-220 g
Phosphorus-35 mg
Magnesium-19mg
Calcium-23mg
Sodium-1 mg
Iron – 0.59 mg
Selenium – 0.6 μg
Zinc – 0.2 mg
Strawberries are one of nature’s true pleasures; they do not contain much sugar, but they have a sweet and wonderful taste, so they can be enjoyed without any guilt!
If you’re opting for strawberries this Valentine’s Day, why not change things up a bit with these two recipes below!
Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients:
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup pineapple, diced
- ½ cup mango, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp light brown sugar (demerara)
Preparation:
- Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until uniformly textured
- For a chunkier version, pulse in a food processor until desired texture is achieved.
- I love this as breakfast on an avocado, as dinner served over grilled chicken breast, or even as dessert served over plain yogurt!
Spinach & Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- ½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- Chopped green onion, to taste
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp poppyseeds
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation:
- Mix all the vegetables in a large bowl – keep chilled
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bottle/jar and shake well
- Pour the dressing over the salad, toss, serve, and enjoy!