Strawberries Calories And Nutrition

Almost all health experts and articles advise weight watchers to increase their consumption of fresh fruits, so that snacking on junk and unhealthy food items can be minimized. It is not uncommon to see several health conscious people give up on their favorite desserts and opt for a piece of fruit, or even a bowl of fruit salad, mainly because the fruits are packed with nutrition, yet contain a fewer amount of calories. One of the fruits which is a favorite with many dieters and weights watchers around the world is strawberry. This fruit is available in several different forms, ranging from fresh, to frozen. If you have tasted strawberries, you are probably aware of how sweet and juicy this fruit is.

Serving Size – Half Cup (150 Grams)

• Calories: 49
• Total Fat: 0.5 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2 g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 2 mg
• Total Carbs: 11.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.0 g
• Sugar: 7.4 g
• Protein: 1.0 g

Strawberries are an excellent source of several healthy phyto-nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which are essential for good health. This fruit contains a high amount of Vitamin C, because of which it boosts the body’s immunity, preventing the risks of many health problems. Strawberries are also a great source of B complex vitamins, containing a substantial amount of folic acid, pantothentic acid, riboflavin, niacin and B6 vitamin. Some of the other nutrients present in strawberries include Vitamin A, Vitamin E, lutein, beta carotene, iodine, copper, manganese, iron, fluorine and potassium.

How many calories in strawberries?

Questions on how many calories in strawberries are asked by many people. A small strawberry contains barely 2 calories, whereas a larger one could have up to 10. However, it is nearly impossible for an average person to look at a strawberry and determine how many calories it has. This is why most people prefer to check with nutritionist for information on strawberries calories per ounce or gram, or perhaps even by the cup.

Strawberries calories per ounce

An ounce of strawberries is a fairly small amount and usually contains between 2 to 4 fruits, depending upon their size. The strawberries calories per ounce can be around 9 calories or so.

Strawberries calories per gram

A gram of strawberries is a very small amount and would probably comprise of less than half a strawberry. Nevertheless, a gram of strawberries should contain no more than 0.30 calories or so. However, it is more common for people to add around 100 grams of strawberries to their meal, which works up to approximately 32 calories

1 cup strawberries calories

The strawberries calories in 1 cup of sliced berries, usually works up to 165 grams, which is around 53 calories or so. However, a cup of whole strawberries usually weighs a bit less, at around 145 grams or so. The number of calories in a cup of whole strawberries should be around 46.

It is important to realize that these caloric counts apply to fresh strawberries that are consumed without any additives or preservatives. Many people find it difficult to consume fresh strawberries, without adding some sugar to it. As you know, sugar is quite high in calories and therefore, it can increase your caloric intake to a great extent. Having strawberries with cream, ice cream, custard or other similar desserts also increases the number of calories consumed to a great extent.

In case you would like to increase your consumption of strawberries, but are not sure how, you could start by adding a few pieces of the fruit to your breakfast. Most people enhance the flavor of their cereal by adding a few slices of fresh strawberries to it. There are others who opt for a bowl of plain and unflavored yogurt, but add a handful of sliced strawberries to it. These breakfast ideas make for a highly nutritious and tasty, yet low fat breakfast. A few other ways to add strawberries to your breakfast is by making a strawberry milkshake or a smoothie. These ideas are especially useful for parents who are trying to encourage their children to have more fruits. Given below is an easy, healthy and low-fat recipe for a simple strawberry milkshake:

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of fresh milk
• 1 Cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Tablespoon of honey
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract 

Method:

Pour all the ingredients in a food processor and blend them thoroughly until they reach the desired consistency. Pour the milkshake into the glass and serve it immediately.

The number of calories present in one glass of strawberry milkshake is 185. However, this recipe does not use any ice cream or sugar, both of which are used quite commonly in the preparation of milkshake. Most varieties of strawberry milkshake available at fast food joints are much higher in calories.

As you get used to the taste of fresh strawberries, you can start adding a few pieces of it to your bowl of fruit salad. Many people go as far as adding strawberry slices to their green salad too. Eaten plain, strawberries make a tasty, healthy and filling snack. This fruit can satisfy your "sweet cravings", thereby enabling you to cut down on other desserts and the additional calories present in them.

Though there are several health benefits of strawberries, it is important to check with a doctor before adding them to your daily diet.