8 Reasons to Eat Strawberries Right Now

Updated on 5/26/2016 at 6:45 PM

When recently unpacking groceries with my 13-year-old daughter, I was pleasantly surprised by her happy dance at finding a large package of strawberries in one of the bags. She grabbed them to her chest and waltzed around the kitchen before opening up the carton and snacking on the bright red berries. She expressed the love my entire household feels for strawberries, which are in the peak of their growing season right now, which thankfully runs until late June. Aside from signifying that Summer is coming, the humble and delicious strawberry is also a superfood packed with nutrients and benefits.

A cup of sliced strawberries contains only 53 calories and 3.3 grams of fiber.
Serving for serving, strawberries provide more vitamin C than oranges! One cup of strawberries contains 113 percent of your daily recommended dose of vitamin C.
Strawberries have a glycemic index rating of 41, meaning they can satisfy your sweet tooth without negatively affecting your blood sugar levels.
These red berries are considered a low-sugar fruit — only 4.1 grams in three ounces of the fruit. The only fruit lower in sugar is raspberries.
Rich in the antioxidants, like polyphenols, strawberries are great for your skin and help repair sun-damaged cells.
Smile if you love strawberries! They contain malic acid, which helps brighten and whiten tooth enamel. Another reason to eat these berries for dessert!
These heart-shaped berries are good for the cardiovascular system, and eating them three times a week might reduce heart attacks in women.
When buying strawberries, go organic! They top the list of the Environmental Working Group's list of produce with the highest level of pesticide residue.

Now it's time to eat some berries! While they are great on their own, here are our favorite healthy recipes featuring strawberries.