There is nothing better than a ripe, juicy strawberry picked at the peak of freshness during the warm summer months but organic frozen strawberries can be a delicious and healthy snack year around. While fresh berries are delicious, the longer they sit the more antioxidants they are losing. Freezing an organic strawberry the day its picked actually locks in the key Antioxidants potentially bringing you more of those needed nutrients. In addition to their wonderful taste, strawberries are packed with a variety of nutrients that present a number of health benefits. Full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, strawberries have been found to protect heart health, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, prevent cancer, and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. With so many health benefits, combined with a delicious sweet taste, now is the perfect time to purchase and enjoy fresh frozen organic strawberries. It is no surprise that strawberries are the most popular berry fruit in the world. Freshly frozen organic strawberries can be enjoyed in so many ways, from smoothies to jams, or pies, organic strawberries are a delicious, nutritious treat that can be easily included in the daily diet. Strawberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C, which is so important to the immune system. In addition to its ability to boost the immune system, Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant. Just one serving of strawberries provides half of the daily requirement of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is not the only antioxidant found in strawberries. Ellagic acid, lutein, and zeathancins, are other antioxidants that are abundant in strawberries. Clinical studies of ellagic acid have found that it has incredible anti-cancer compounds that actually suppress cancer cell growth. Lutein and zeathancins neutralize free radicals in the body, thus preventing the negative effects that they have on cells. Ellagic acid does more than just help prevent cancer cell growth. The ellagic acid in strawberries, along with phytochemicals found in the fruit, counteracts the effect of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body. In addition, these compounds also have an anti-inflammatory effect, which is highly beneficial to heart health. With 134 mg per serving, strawberries are a great source of potassium. This nutrient has been shown to help regulate blood pressure, and can also help lower high blood pressure. Maintaining healthy blood pressure is vital to a healthy cardiac system. Chronic inflammation, a condition that leads to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and a number of other serious health issues, is a hot topic that scientists are closely studying. They have discovered that strawberries have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and thus consuming strawberries may combat the effects of chronic inflammation. In a recent study, subjects who were given a strawberry drink six hours after having a high carb, moderate fat meal (which elicits inflammatory responses) showed a 25% lower level of IL-6, a biomarker for inflammation compared to subjects that received a placebo drink. In addition to the numerous health benefits that organic frozen strawberries provide, they are low in calories, fat-free, and high in fiber. This makes them an excellent snack choice that can be eaten in abundance without any worry about excess calories or fat. Sources: Meyers, K., Watkins, C., Pritts, M., Liu, R., “Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activities of Strawberries” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2003, vol. 51, no. 23, pp. 6887-6892. Zaftra-Stone, S., et. al., “Berry Anthocyanins as Novel Antioxidants in Human Disease and Prevention” Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2007, vol. 51, no. 6, pp675-683.