Nutritionist issues stark warning over eating too many strawberries this summer
If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us are more at risk of eating too few fruits and veggies than too many.
It’s recommended that we eat five portions of them each day, and you can take it a step further by going for five different-coloured fruits and vegetables to maximise the variety of vitamins and minerals you’re getting.
Even the health-conscious among us might get to bedtime before realising we’ve only three or four portions, and plenty of us might end the day having had none at all.
Advert
All that is to say that, before we get into this expert’s advice around eating too many strawberries, you really should be prioritising getting more of the stuff into your system.
The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants help ensure your body has everything it needs to function properly, and consistent fruit and veg intake can reduce your risk of getting certain cancers and chronic health conditions.
Anyway, onto the strawberries. They’re delicious, vibrant, packed with nutrients including vitamin C, folate, and manganese, plenty of antioxidants and a healthy dose of fibre. All of that can help to keep your heart healthy, keep your blood sugar levels in check, and help to protect you against some cancers and other health issues.
But that doesn’t mean you should go overboard with them. According to Lauren Manaker, a nutritionist speaking with Delish, there are some drawbacks to overdoing it on the seedy red fruit.
One serving is around eight to 10 strawberries, so you can certainly get a satisfying number down before you’re breaking past the recommended limit. For Manaker, two or three portions can go down without issue for most people, but beyond that you might run into some trouble.
"Overeating strawberries could lead to digestive discomfort, like bloating or diarrhea, due to their fiber content," she explained.
Not only that, but their acidity might compound within your gut and give you a temporary bout of acid reflux.
She continued: "Although strawberries are relatively low in sugar compared to other fruits, eating large quantities could still impact blood sugar levels, especially for people with diabetes.”
Not only that, but some people may have a mild strawberry allergy that only becomes apparent when they’re ingested in large quantities.
"Some people are sensitive to strawberries and may experience mild allergic symptoms like itching or swelling, which could worsen with overconsumption," Manaker added.
As a final note, overloading on one food source could limit your body’s ability to absorb nutrition from other things in your diet.
In short, everything is best in moderation, even the healthy stuff.
Rachael Davis