Chapter 26 - Strawberries

Abstract

Accumulating scientific evidence and dietary guidelines from several countries have recommended that a dietary intake of berries “small fruits” improve quality of life. Strawberries are a common and important fruit in the Mediterranean diet because of their high content of essential nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals, which have relevant biological activity in human health. Anthocyanins and ellagitannins are the phytochemicals widely studied in vitro and in vivo. Generally, high levels of the phytochemicals found in strawberries are responsible for high total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, these phytochemicals have been shown to possess antiinflammatory actions to other pathways. Although individual bioactive constituents of strawberries have raised much attention for their functional and biological activities, studies describing the antioxidant phytochemicals and their antioxidant properties are still lacking.