Anyone who has ever bitten into a fresh, juicy strawberry harvested between the months of April and July knows why strawberries are by far the most popular fruit. Also, anyone who eats fruit regularly understands that eating fruit is not cheap, especially if it is a fruit that is not in season. For this reason, eating strawberries, which are more commonly and cheaply produced year-round than other, less popular fruits, is a great way to get the health benefits that come from a diet rich in fruit.

These days, foods that are high in fiber can be scarce, especially if you are living on a budget. However, replacing candy, soda, and other sweets that contain a lot of high fructose corn syrup with a healthy snack like strawberries will not only help you meet your daily fiber requirement, but it will also reduce your risk of dangerous conditions like diabetes and obesity. Plus the fiber in strawberries is very good for your heart and colon.

In addition to helping you cut unhealthy snacks out of your diet, the health benefits of strawberries include the many antioxidants they contain. The antioxidants particular to strawberries, like anthocyanins, phenols, and flavonoids, have many very beneficial properties. For example, including strawberries in your diet has been show to reduce your chances of developing cancer. Many of the nutrients in strawberries have also been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to counteract the effects of diseases like arthritis.

Additionally, the health benefits of strawberries have been show by recent studies to be good for your eyes. The nutrients they contain fight macular degeneration, which can cause a loss of the ability of sight. Strawberries have been shown to fight degeneration associated with both age and disease. As sight is the way we experience the world, this is truly one of the great health benefits of strawberries.

While everyone loves eating fresh strawberries, consuming enough of them to get some of the profound health benefits offered by their antioxidants and other nutrients is not always practical. For this reason, some people choose to buy strawberry juices or concentrates. However, there are more than 600 different types of strawberries, and the nutrients they contain vary depending on how they are grown and when they are harvested. Make sure if you are seeking a particular antioxidant you find out whether the product you are considering purchasing contains it in high concentration.

In addition to providing a lot of beneficial nutrients and replacing unhealthy snacks in your diet, strawberries can help keep you healthy in another way: gardening. Growing your own strawberries will not only save you money and give you a sense of accomplishment, but it will also give you fresh air and a source of enjoyable physical activity that is good for your heart and your overall health.

Whether you are growing your own strawberries or selecting some from the grocery store or farmer’s market, keep in mind that strawberries get their intense red coloration from the nutrients that they contain. Therefore, when selecting the best strawberries to eat, the brightest, reddest strawberries are the best choice. There are countless recipes and other enjoyable ways to take advantage of the health benefits of strawberries; why not pick some up today?