I get so excited as spring and summer comes because of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that start showing up. It is strawberry season now so I no longer need to purchase overpriced and tasteless berries. Strawberries are so delicious and also very healthy for you. One cup of strawberries has just 50 calories and 8 grams of sugar. Not only are strawberries low in calories, sugar, and sodium, they are loaded with nutrients like Vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants. Strawberries have been shown in many studies to help control blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, maintain heart health, reduce the risk for strokes, and boost memory.
The only downside is that strawberries are near the top of the list of the “dirty dozen.” The dirty dozen are the foods that contain the most pesticides. So, if possible, try to find a local farm where you can pick your own or a local farmers market where they picked them for you because, most of the time, those have less pesticides than the strawberries that are mass produced for the local grocery stores. Or even better, opt for organic strawberries.
Strawberries are good just as they are for a healthy, delicious snack, or you can add them to smoothies, salads and baked goods. One easy idea for including strawberries in your diet is to add them to pancakes. Just make your favorite pancake recipe, put about 1/4 of a cup in the skillet and wait for about a minute and then add some strawberry slices. When it starts to bubble, flip it and the strawberry will cook right inside the pancake. Or just slice them up on your cereal or oatmeal in the morning.
I have added a couple of other easy but healthy and fun recipes below. One for a spinach and strawberry salad and one for frozen chocolate strawberries. What’s not to like?!