Strawberry

food source · 1

• →Vitamin C

  A 150 g serving of strawberries, about 8–10 berries, has about 87–134 mg of vitamin C against an adult need of 75–90 mg a day, so one serving covers it; and strawberries are almost always eaten raw, with no cooking step to wear it down.

  GUIDE · moderateGUIDE · high
  Mechanism · 2

  Mechanism · Three jobs for vitamin C

  Vitamin C helps the body twist collagen into strong fibers, converts plant iron in the small intestine into a form that is easier to absorb, and guards against oxidation in the fluid outside cells. It dissolves in water and is damaged by heat, but strawberries are almost always eaten raw, so little of their vitamin C is lost in the kitchen.

  Numbers · The vitamin C in a serving

  Raw strawberries have about 58–89 mg of vitamin C per 100 g; a 150 g serving has about 87–134 mg, against an adult need of 75–90 mg a day. Strawberries have about 32 kcal and 4.9–7 g of sugar per 100 g, and a glycemic index (GI) of about 40, low for a fruit.

  GUIDE · moderateGUIDE · high