Aspire, Perspire, Nourish Yourself

Monthly Food Feature: Strawberries

When you look at a strawberry, what do you see? I see a heart, especially when I’ve hulled it! Besides its shape and bright red color that may remind you of a heart, the strawberry has a close connection to that important muscle. It has wonderful nutritional properties that contribute to cardiovascular health. Is it a coincidence that the strawberry looks like a heart?

Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits

Besides being great tasting, strawberries are low in calories. One cup of this fruit contains approximately 46 calories so load up your dish! There are more reasons to love strawberries. To start, strawberries are:

An excellent source of vitamin C and manganese;
A very good source of fiber, iodine, and folate; and
A good source of copper, potassium, biotin, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B6 and omega-3 fats.

The greatest benefit from strawberries seems to come from the antioxidant properties of the fruit. Of the commonly eaten foods in the US, strawberries were ranked among the top 50 for antioxidant capacity (based on US research). When comparing just the fruits used in this research, strawberries were ranked 4th for their antioxidant benefits. The higher ranked fruits were also berries.

How do Strawberries Contribute to Health?

There are specific phytonutrients in strawberries that may help with a number of health conditions:

Cardiovascular Health – Among the most important issues related to cardiovascular health is oxidation and inflammation. Containing high levels of vitamin C and manganese, and an array of phytonutrients, strawberries may reduce oxidation and inflammation in the body when eaten frequently, and therefore help reduce issues with cardiovascular disease.

Blood Sugar Regulation – Some interesting research is being conducted about strawberry consumption linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and blood sugar regulation. Apparently, there are specific polyphenols in strawberries that may inhibit the activity of an enzyme that plays a role in breaking down starches into simple sugars, which when inhibited reduces the simple sugars released into the blood stream. (Ref)

Cancer Protection and Other Health Benefits – The high levels of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and fiber of strawberries, as already highlighted, may be responsible for preventing many types of cancers such as breast, cervical, colon and esophageal. Specifically related to reducing inflammation, strawberries may be beneficial for slowing down the aging process, helping with various types of arthritis, maintaining eye health, and improving inflammatory bowel problems.

Preserving the Nutrients in Strawberries

©Glenn Jenkinson

Since strawberries spoil easily, they may lose the important polyphenols and other nutrients quickly. Excessive processing of strawberries can also reduce their nutrient levels. To get the most benefits, eat strawberries when fresh or store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. You can also freeze strawberries for up to 1 year.

When stored in the refrigerator, keep the unwashed strawberries in the part of the fridge with higher humidity, such as the cold storage drawer. When freezing strawberries, be sure to wash them before freezing, with or without stems, and pat dry. Keep in a heavy-duty plastic bag, preferably whole to retain as much of the vitamin C and other nutrients intact.

Food Sensitivities

There are people with food sensitivities to strawberries. Be cautious about any reactions you or others may get from consuming this fruit. Strawberries that have been conventionally grown are also one of the top foods that when tested for pesticide exposure showed pesticide residue.

Easy Recipes

Eating strawberries as fresh fruit is the best way to get all of the nutrients. However, with minimal cooking, there are creative ways to use strawberries in entrees and desserts as well. Here are a couple of recipes we thought you would enjoy. Be sure to also check out our original recipes: Strawberry Chocolate Nut Logs and Strawberry Basil Pasta Toss.

From Whole Foods:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Baked Salmon with Spinach and Strawberry Salsa

Refreshing taste for an old-time favorite. This recipe is quick and easy for a weeknight dinner.

From MyRecipes.com:

http://www.myrecipes.com

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza Fresh ingredients and minimal cooking. This recipe calls for a prepared pizza crust; however, you can make your own crust or use naan bread if you like.

References & Research

Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Basil Pasta Toss

Bonus Recipe: Strawberry Chocolate Nut Log

Making Sense of Nutrition Counseling

©Zbigniew Kościelniak

Nutrition has become a big topic in popular magazines like Cosmopolitan and Flare, with headlines such as “5 Signs you are low in zinc” or “Top 10 foods to eat for slimming down.” We’re glad to see that more attention is being drawn to nutrition, and encourage you to dig deeper into the literature you read about how to eat well.

Nutrition is one of the key foundations to health, and has always been important in the health and wellness field. With more studies showing that what you eat does indeed influence your health, more people are turning to nutrition, along with exercise, to enhance their health.

Like any other field, nutrition is growing as more research on the topic continues, and out of this research more fields within nutrition are sprouting up. For example, the holistic nutritionist title has arisen out of the growing popularity of holistic medicine, while dietician has been around and associated with the rise of medical science field. Another name sprouting up recently is health coach, the focus of which is related to behavioral science.

Is there a difference between these nutrition professionals? Yes, there is, and it is important to understand that difference so you can choose to work with the professional who can best help with your personal circumstances.

What is a ‘Registered’ Dietician?

A Dietician (also spelled Dietitian) is a professional who “is an expert in dietetics; that is, human nutrition and the regulation of diet.” (Ref 1) In order to be ‘Registered’, these professionals need to meet specific requirements, including a Bachelor’s degree in the field of nutrition science, write a standardized exam for registration, and participate in an internship.

©Cristina

The focus of this professional group is the scientific basis or make up of food, calorie count, and the study of food as it relates to health. Dietitians typically work in clinical settings, public health, research, or in food preparation services to ensure health and safety of food. In clinical settings, their focus is on medical interventions, such as creating menus suitable for diabetic patients or supervising stringent diets for obese patients. Although these professionals take into account a broader perspective than just food, their focus is on the use of food for healing, and on the medical research about food to prescribe nutrition solutions.

The above is a generalized summary of the role of a Registered Dietician. There are several resources you can consult to gain different perspectives on this profession and the others we cover below. See our reference section at the end of this blog post for links.

What is an Holistic Nutritionist?

©Suto Norbert

As the word holistic implies, Holistic Nutritionists focus on the whole person from various perspectives as related to their nutrition. For instance, they look at the physical, emotional and spiritual health of the individual as part of assessing their nutritional needs. If a client has a concern with food sensitivities, the Holistic Nutritionist helps the client identify any issues that may be affecting these sensitivities such as stress, eating habits, types and quality of food ingested, fluid intake, etc.

In holistic nutrition, quality of food is more important than quantity, and foods are seen as energy sources. The quality of the calories are more important; for example, an Holistic nutritionist would recommend choosing an apple over a low-sugar chocolate pudding for dessert. As a result of this quality focus, holistic nutrition advocates choosing whole foods, and organic foods as much as possible, due to concerns with artificial products in processed foods, and pesticides, chemicals, and chemical modifications in food production and GMO foods.

What is a Health Coach?

According to the Institute of Integrative Health, Health Coaches are wellness experts and mentors who motivate clients to make healthy lifestyle choices. These coaches are also known as Wellness Coaches. Their focus is on behavioral changes to enhance wellness. Although part of health coaching relates to nutrition, their perspective is broader, as in holistic nutrition.

Dietician vs. Holistic Nutritionist vs. Health Coach

Is one better than the other? Not necessarily. In a purely definitional sense the roles are focused on different aspects of nutrition. Your choosing which one to work with depends on your circumstances, your openness to alternative approaches, and your comfort level with the professional.

As the field continues to grow, these roles are merging with a greater focus on holistic approaches to health. More people, let alone professionals in the field, are becoming aware of the need for preventing disease by focusing on healthy nutrition habits. Dieticians who focused on the pathology of diets are now broadening their focus to the wellness side, and Holistic Nutritionists are embracing the more rigorous scientific approach to assessing food quality. Health Coaches are the newest trend whose attention is on behavioral change.

What’s the Answer?

Regardless of the type of professional you choose to work with, remember that nutrition is YOUR responsibility. These professionals are there to educate and guide you to better understand nutrition, its role in your healthy lifestyle, and your specific nutrition needs that become part of your life and not just a short-term diet plan.

Want to get in touch with Mary Sherriff, ROHP, about holistic nutrition counseling? Email her or visit For Your Health Nutrition & Wellness.

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