by Kristy Dusevic CHC
In Honor of Our Country's Birthday, I thought we could keep the berry conversation going with some education on an Independence Day (or ANY Day) Treat...
If blueberries are thought to be the King of berries than these juicy red berries are definitely our Queen.
It's hard to imagine but the end of our strawberry season is fast approaching so if your local store or better yet, your local farmer's market still has them available snatch them up because Strawberry season usually runs from April through June. A fairly short season for these nutritious beauties.
Did you know that research tells us that there are over 600 species of strawberries? Pretty interesting fun fact.
Here are some nutritional benefits of Strawberries:
One cup equals...
3 grams of fiber
1 gram of protein
4 mg Vitamin C (149% RDA*)
2 IU Vitamin A (89% RDA*)
.6 mg Manganese (29% RDA*)
36 mcg Folate (9% RDA*)
233 mg Potassium (7% RDA*)
* Recommended Daily Allowance
This is just the short list of the extremely long list of nutritional goodness.
Strawberries are another low calorie treat. One cup is only a mere 49 calories. Studies have also shown that strawberries provide us with some amazing health benefits such as;
They are full of antioxidants
Help us burn stored fat
Eases inflamation
Promotes bone health
Supports eye health
Amazing anti aging properties (filled with biotin)
Wonderful immune booster - You want to build up that immune system daily so that when the "sick" season begins, you have already built a strong immune system.
A few important things to keep in mind before enjoying these wonderful berries. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducts yearly tests on our fruits and vegetables to see which ones contain the highest amounts of pesticides, herbicides etc. Unfortunately, strawberries almost always tops the list. Many people believe that a good washing takes care of that. I wish that were the case. These dangerous chemicals are not able to be washed off. They are grown in with the seeds and roots of some plants. An easy way to avoid this is to buy local. This way you can have a direct conversation with the farmer who personally grows the berry themselves to ensure no harmful chemicals were used in the growing process.
Strawberries are also very perishable. You will want to consume or freeze them within 2-3 days.
Some fun and delicious ways to enjoy these berries:
They pair great with chicken and spinach in a nice protein rich salad.
You can also add them to your oatmeal or yogurt.
A strawberry smoothie is a favorite in my house. Simply toss a few strawberries (I like mine to be frozen) along with spinach or kale into a blender add in some almond, coconut or any other type of milk that works for you.
Want a creative and interesting way to use some of the leftover Strawberries today?
Strawberries are extremely beneficial to our skin. The following is a list of nutrients that strawberries contain and that are directly related to skin health:
Super loaded with vitamin C, alpha hydroxyl acids, salicylic acid, aspartic acid, ellagic acid, folate and fiber, the delicious strawberry can save your skin from many disorders including acne, blackheads, white heads, oily skin, dry skin and more.
Here is an extra special way to use strawberries;
Strawberry Face Wash or Mask
Yes, you read that right, strawberries are amazing for our skin. They are super effective when used directly on the skin.
Here is a super simple recipe to try:
2-3 strawberries (local are best) mashed up and can be applied directly to the face. You can use it either simply as a wash or leave it on for 15- 20 minutes for a nice nourishing mask.
If you tend to have dry skin add 1 tsp of honey to the mashed up strawberries or if you have oily skin, squeeze in juice from half a lemon.
Continue on with eating that healthy rainbow!
Did you know that you have direct access to all of Kristy's amazing knowledge about these and so many more important healthy eating and nutrition expertise? Kristy is a Certified Integrative Health Coach and she LOVES to talk about how you can truly live a life that thrives through healthy choices in the kitchen. If you're interested in scheduling a consultation give us a call at the studio anytime! 423-290-2326. You can also send Kristy an email at info@yoga-east.net.