As the old saying goes, the key to the heart is through the stomach. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, maintaining a balanced diet is critical to protecting your heart. For many, adopting a low-cholesterol, high-nutrient diet can seem daunting and unappealing. Luckily, protecting your heart doesn’t mean giving up on taste.

A recent study sponsored by the California Strawberry Commission examined how heart-healthy diets can taste great and still be effective. Conducted at the University of Toronto, 28 subjects were instructed to eat either three, one-cup servings of strawberries or two ounces of oat bran bread over 18 weeks. The researchers found that the subjects rated the palatability of strawberries as an 8.8 out of 10 compared to oat bran at 6.2 out of 10, and both lowered LDL-cholesterol levels by 13 per cent.

“Strawberries are packed with disease-fighting phytochemicals essential for Canadians looking to lower their risk of disease,” said Lynn Weaver, registered dietitian. “They are also low in sugar and taste great making them an excellent choice for those who want to maintain a healthy diet.”

The nutritious power of strawberries was also highlighted when researchers at Harvard Medical School explored the link between strawberry consumption and cardiovascular disease. They found that women who ate two or more servings of strawberries per week were 14 per cent less likely to have elevated C-reactive protein levels than those who ate no strawberries. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein signal inflammation in the body, a predictor of risk for heart disease and stroke.

A serving of eight medium-sized strawberries contains:

. 160 per cent of Daily Value for vitamin C;

. 19 per cent of Daily Value for folate;

. 16 per cent of Daily Value for dietary fibre;

. 8 per cent of Daily Value for potassium;

. 50 calories

With more vitamin C than an orange, natural sugar to satisfy any sweet tooth, and nutrients to ward off disease, strawberries truly live up to their name as the super fruit. To maintain a heart-healthy diet, reach for California strawberries available year round.

You can find more information about the health benefits of strawberries online at www.calstrawberry.com.

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