NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Strawberry

Fragaria × ananassa

Vitamin C-rich berry with vascular and cognitive signals

Moderate evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Moderate
Research weight
Citations
10 verified / 10
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.

Nutrition per serving 1 cup whole (152 g)

152gSERVING
  • Water 138.3 g91%
  • Sugars 7.4 g5%
  • Fibre 3 g2%
  • Other carbs 1.3 g1%
  • Protein 1 g1%
  • Fat 0.5 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Vitamin C99%Manganese26%Fibre11%Folate9%Potassium5%Magnesium5%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
49 kcal1 g protein3 g fiber0.46 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Vitamin C89 mg99%
Manganese0.59 mg26%
Fibre3 g11%
Folate37 mcg9%
Potassium233 mg5%
Magnesium20 mg5%
Calcium24 mg2%
Vitamin K3.3 mcg3%
Total sugars7.4 g15%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Strawberry?

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a fruit used for excellent vitamin c source supporting antioxidant defence and collagen synthesis. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Strawberries are a nutrient-dense, low-calorie berry whose strongest, most consistent nutritional credential is being an outstanding source of vitamin C, with useful fibre, potassium and polyphenols. Human evidence for disease-modifying effects is moderate rather than definitive: a meta-analysis of randomised trials found strawberry intervention significantly lowered C-reactive protein and improved total and LDL cholesterol mainly in people with elevated baseline lipids, while effects on blood pressure and fasting glucose were not significant overall. Large prospective cohorts (Nurses' Health Study, Rush Memory and Aging Project) link higher strawberry and pelargonidin/anthocyanidin intake to slower cognitive decline and lower Alzheimer's dementia risk, and pooled cohort data tie anthocyanin- and berry-rich diets to modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk. However, most trials are small, short, frequently use freeze-dried concentrates rather than whole fruit, and observational findings cannot prove causation or separate strawberries from an overall healthy diet. Strawberries are best viewed as a healthful component of a varied diet rather than a standalone therapy.

Purported Benefits

✓Excellent vitamin C source supporting antioxidant defence and collagen synthesis
✓May lower LDL/total cholesterol in people with elevated baseline lipids
✓Reduces circulating C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker) in trials
✓Higher long-term intake linked to slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk
✓Anthocyanin/berry intake associated with reduced type 2 diabetes risk in cohorts
✓Low glycaemic load with soluble fibre supporting glucose and satiety

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A typical serving is about 1 cup (152 g, ~8 medium berries) fresh. Cardiometabolic trials often used the equivalent of 2-4 cups/day (≈25-50 g freeze-dried powder). One cup supplies roughly a full day's vitamin C.
Active Compounds
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)Anthocyanins (pelargonidin-3-glucoside)Ellagitannins & ellagic acidFlavonols (quercetin, kaempferol)Dietary fibre (pectin, cellulose)PotassiumFolateManganese

Safety & Cautions

Generally very safe. Strawberries are a recognised allergen (oral allergy syndrome, especially in those sensitised to birch pollen; rarely systemic reactions). They are among produce with higher pesticide residues, so washing or choosing organic is reasonable. They contain moderate oxalate, relevant for people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones, and salicylates that can affect sensitive individuals. Sugar and carbohydrate load is low per serving, but concentrated forms (jams, dried, sweetened) shift this. No notable CYP3A4/grapefruit-type drug interaction is established for strawberries. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Strawberry with any medicine.

Key Studies ★ 10 studies

Meta-analysis Blood pressure dose-response MA 2025 ✓ Full text
GRADE-assessed dose-response meta-analysis of 8 RCTs found no significant effect of strawberry on systolic (WMD +0.96 mmHg, 95% CI -0.26 to 2.20) or diastolic blood pressure (WMD -0.33 mmHg, 95% CI -1.31 to 0.65).
Meta-analysis of RCTs Gao 2020 ✓ PubMed
Across 11 RCTs, strawberry intervention significantly lowered C-reactive protein and reduced total/LDL cholesterol in those with elevated baseline lipids; no significant effect on blood pressure, lipid profile overall, or fasting glucose.
Systematic review & meta-analysis Guo 2016 ✓ PubMed
Higher dietary anthocyanin and berry intake were associated with 15% and 18% lower type 2 diabetes risk respectively across prospective cohorts.
RCT Basu 2025 ✓ PubMed
In a 28-week crossover RCT in adults with prediabetes, 32 g/day freeze-dried strawberries (~2.5 servings) for 12 weeks significantly improved insulin, HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, HbA1c, and total cholesterol versus control.
RCT Basu 2023 (metabolic syndrome) ✓ Full text
14-week crossover RCT in adults with metabolic syndrome features found high-dose strawberry (32 g powder/day) reduced fasting insulin, insulin resistance, and total/small LDL and VLDL particle concentrations versus control.
RCT Freeze-dried strawberry RCT 2022 ✓ PubMed
Double-blind RCT in adults with overweight/obesity and elevated cholesterol found low-dose strawberry supplement reduced LDL cholesterol by 4.9% (vs high dose) and total cholesterol by 2.8% (vs control).
RCT Basu 2010 ✓ Full text
Freeze-dried strawberry beverage (50 g/day, 8 weeks) significantly decreased total (-10%) and LDL cholesterol (-11%) and small LDL particles in adults with metabolic syndrome.
Single-arm pre/post trial Basu 2009 ✓ PubMed
In a single-arm 4-week study of 16 women with metabolic syndrome, freeze-dried strawberry powder lowered total cholesterol (-5%), LDL (-6%) and lipid peroxidation (-14%) versus baseline.
Prospective cohort Agarwal 2019 ✓ PubMed
In 925 older adults (Rush Memory and Aging Project), higher strawberry intake was associated with reduced Alzheimer's dementia risk (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.60-0.96), with pelargonidin implicated.
Prospective cohort Devore 2012 ✓ PubMed
In 16,010 older women (Nurses' Health Study), greater blueberry and strawberry intake was associated with slower cognitive decline, equivalent to delaying cognitive aging by up to ~2.5 years.
10 sources cited · 10 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Strawberry

What is Strawberry used for?

Strawberry is most often taken for Excellent vitamin C source supporting antioxidant defence and collagen synthesis, May lower LDL/total cholesterol in people with elevated baseline lipids, Reduces circulating C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker) in trials, Higher long-term intake linked to slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk. Vitamin C-rich berry with vascular and cognitive signals

Does Strawberry work — what does the evidence say?

Moderate evidence. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent. Strawberries are a nutrient-dense, low-calorie berry whose strongest, most consistent nutritional credential is being an outstanding source of vitamin C, with useful fibre, potassium and polyphenols. Human evidence for disease-modifying effects is moderate rather than definitive: a meta-analysis of randomised trials found strawberry intervention significantly lowered C-reactive protein and improved total and LDL cholesterol mainly in people with elevated baseline lipids, while effects on blood pressure and fasting glucose were not significant overall. Large prospective cohorts (Nurses' Health Study, Rush Memory and Aging Project) link higher strawberry and pelargonidin/anthocyanidin intake to slower cognitive decline and lower Alzheimer's dementia risk, and pooled cohort data tie anthocyanin- and berry-rich diets to modestly lower type 2 diabetes risk. However, most trials are small, short, frequently use freeze-dried concentrates rather than whole fruit, and observational findings cannot prove causation or separate strawberries from an overall healthy diet. Strawberries are best viewed as a healthful component of a varied diet rather than a standalone therapy.

What is the typical dose of Strawberry?

A typical serving is about 1 cup (152 g, ~8 medium berries) fresh. Cardiometabolic trials often used the equivalent of 2-4 cups/day (≈25-50 g freeze-dried powder). One cup supplies roughly a full day's vitamin C.

Is Strawberry safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Generally very safe. Strawberries are a recognised allergen (oral allergy syndrome, especially in those sensitised to birch pollen; rarely systemic reactions). They are among produce with higher pesticide residues, so washing or choosing organic is reasonable. They contain moderate oxalate, relevant for people prone to calcium-oxalate kidney stones, and salicylates that can affect sensitive individuals. Sugar and carbohydrate load is low per serving, but concentrated forms (jams, dried, sweetened) shift this. No notable CYP3A4/grapefruit-type drug interaction is established for strawberries.

How many studies support Strawberry?

NutriDex cites 10 sources for Strawberry, graded "Moderate".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/strawberry

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_strawberry,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/strawberry},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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