Would you like to know if strawberries have protein? Strawberries are red, juicy fruits rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.
As a common fruit in America and China, strawberries can be taken fresh, used in jams, or processed into juices and sauces.
But does their diverse use depend solely on their carbohydrate content, or is it rather due to their high protein content? Though protein is not a common nutrient found in most fruits, carbohydrates are.
Despite its importance, each fruit still has its percentage of protein, even if it is minimal.
Research has shown that humans need a protein requirement of about 0.8g-2.0g per kilogram of body weight daily, and this can easily be found in high-protein food items like eggs, meat, peanuts, milk, et cetera.
Now, the question is, if about 3.39 million tonnes of strawberries are produced in China and another 1.2 million tonnes in the United States per year, how much protein can be obtained from this fruit?
Or, since it has been established that every fruit contains an amount of protein, what should be the daily intake of strawberries to supply the amount of protein needed by the body?
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Now, let’s get started.
Are Strawberries A Good Source Of Protein?
One hundred sixty-six grams of strawberries, that is, one cup of halved strawberries, contain about 1 gram of protein.
This means protein is one of the least important components of strawberries, unlike guava, avocado, or blackberries.
Meanwhile, strawberries are rich in minerals and fiber: in a cup of sliced strawberries, there are about 19 grams of magnesium, 230 milligrams of potassium, 3g of fiber, various polyphenols, and some amounts of sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and selenium.
Therefore, if the protein content in 1 cup of sliced strawberries is just 1 gram, a 70 kg sedentary adult who needs about 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight will have to take 70 cups of sliced strawberries daily.
That’s a whole lot, and it is just for a sedentary adult, not to mention the amount that athletes, pregnant or lactating mothers, and everyone as a whole would require.
Furthermore, strawberry protein lacks some essential amino acids needed by the body’s metabolic processes. The only deduction from this is that strawberries are not a good source of protein.
How Much Protein Is In A Single Strawberry?
However, this is not the end of the story. Strawberries can be used as a protein complement in one’s daily meal, which is one of the reasons why they are still highly consumed in places like the United States.
Although, as a dessert, their main purpose is to serve as refreshment after the main meal, their high carbohydrate content is responsible for this.
Beyond that, their protein component can help to provide what is lacking in the main meal. Proteins are the building blocks of the human body; they help repair worn-out tissue, produce new cells and cellular components, support the immune system, and much more.
This means one can not afford not having this important macronutrient, even in the slightest way.
Protein can be obtained from any food substance; in fact, most food substances, including strawberries, in one’s diet will contribute to one’s overall protein intake.
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Why Do Bodybuilders Eat Strawberries?
The small amount of amino acids in strawberries helps to increase muscle functions. How? Inside the muscle fiber exists a linear arrangement of vital proteins that provide the function of contracting.
A linear network of six essential proteins resides inside the muscle fiber, namely Actin, Myosin, Tropomyosin, Troponin, Titin, and Nebulin.
Body cells use glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and arginine alongside serine alanine and glycine to create protein structures that enhance muscle function.
But remember, to a little extent. Also, some of these amino acids are important components of major pathways responsible for the production of ATP, the main energy source for the cells of the body.
The combination of strawberries’ carbohydrates with amino acids leads to increased body energy.
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What Are The Health Benefits Of Strawberries?
However, one should never forget the main purpose of strawberries, which is their high antioxidants, fibers, and vitamin C composition.
Strawberries have an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity of 4302 micromol TE/100gram, which means they are antioxidants-rich fruits.
Also, their phenolic content is about 100-300 mg/100g, and they contain other antioxidants like anthocyanins, flavonoids, and ellagic acid.
All these antioxidants help to protect the body against oxidative stress and chronic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Strawberries are highly rich in vitamin C, which is also an antioxidant. But beyond its antioxidant functions, vitamin C helps in collagen synthesis, absorption of iron, boosting the health of the brain, healing wounds, and, most especially, enhancing the functions of the immune system in fighting infections.
The fiber component of strawberries, about 3g in 166g of strawberries, greatly helps in the digestion of meals.
The mineral components in strawberries include potassium and sodium, which maintain body fluid equilibrium along with nerve communication; calcium and phosphorus collaborate to build strong bones and teeth, and manganese plays a vital role in metabolic processes and enzyme functioning.
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Final Thought
Strawberries are aggregate fruits with a lot of nutritional benefits. Protein may seem to be one of the least of these benefits, followed by calories.
However, the little amino acids, building blocks of proteins present in strawberries, cannot be overlooked.
They act mainly as complements to the main protein-rich food and, by so doing, support cellular growth and functions in the body.
The important constituents of strawberries, including antioxidants and fiber, along with minerals and vitamin C, perform distinct actions within the body.
Preventing diseases is the primary benefit of all those derived from these ingredients.
Strawberries hold significant importance for human nutrition regardless of their use as fresh fruit or processed food.
Imagine the number of cardiovascular and brain diseases that can be prevented just by taking strawberries; imagine the rapid wound healing that can be achieved, too.
No wonder strawberries are very important in the West and China. They naturally grow in all continents except Antarctica, where they are cultivated artificially.
So, while strawberries are not ubiquitous, they are grown and consumed worldwide.
Taking one or two cups of sliced strawberries will do one a whole lot of good, which means it is not only an apple a day that can keep the doctor away, but also a cup of strawberries a day is indeed capable of keeping the doctor away.