Don’t Just Eat This Bone-Healthy Food

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Nutrition

Evidence-Based
4 min Read

Easy to grow and readily available in grocery stores, this fruit seems so commonplace that it’s easy to forget how valuable it is for your bones and your overall health. In fact, it’s so delicious that its flavor has been synthetically mimicked and added to just about everything, from candy to gum to ice cream.

But if you take a step back, you’ll see that this amazing little fruit can be used for more than just building your bones, as you’ll soon find out…

Strawberries: They’re Good for Your Bones

Of course, the healthful properties of strawberries as a food shouldn’t be overlooked. That’s why they’re included in the list of alkalizing Foundation Foods in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. Chances are, if you’re on the program, you’re already aware of this and include them in your diet.

Strawberries are considered a Foundation Food because of their impressive Vitamin C content. Vitamin C is a Foundation Supplement because of the crucial role it plays in bone health. In fact, strawberries rank among one of the highest food sources of Vitamin C, right up there with citrus fruits. And they contain other Foundation Supplements as well. In addition, strawberries are an excellent source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that is responsible for their pretty red color.

And guess what else?

Strawberries Also Fight Pain and Inflammation

The search for natural pain relief is on, in large part because the toxic nature of pain-relieving drugs is becoming more and more well-known. Strawberries are anti-inflammatory in the body, and therefore play a prime role in pain relief.

Strawberries top the list for joint-friendly foods, but they also top the list for pesticide residue. Therefore, to take full advantage of strawberries’ healthful properties, please try to choose only organic ones. This is because…

Beware! Strawberries are Among the “Dirty Dozen”

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) put together a list of foods that are most likely to be contaminated by pesticides, and strawberries top the list. So choosing organic strawberries is important, because all your healthful intentions will be undermined if you’re eating toxic pesticides.

A few quick budget tips: organic strawberries do cost more, but you can offset the cost by buying them when they are in season and freezing the surplus yourself. Another affordable, year-round option is buying frozen organic strawberries at your grocery store. And finally, you can save money by growing them yourself – strawberries can be grown in “strawberry pots” or in a small garden.

Fun Facts about Strawberries

How well do you know your strawberries? Here are some fun facts and trivia:

  • There are 600 varieties of strawberries available today.
  • The name “strawberry” may come from the fact that the berries grow in such a way that they are “strewn” all over the plant – “strewberry” became “strawberry.”
  • Other sources say that “strawberry” comes from the use of straw to cover the plants in winter (strawberries are perennial), and strawberry growers sometimes use straw under the drooping fruits to keep them off the soil.
  • Strawberries grow wild in various places throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Strawberries are traditionally consumed at the famous Wimbledon tennis competition.

And finally…

  • Strawberries are good for your skin.
  • When applied to skin, strawberries remove dead skin cells and help cleanse your pores. You can use them to make a do-it-yourself, 100% natural facial to give your skin a radiant glow.

This is a great way to use up overripe strawberries that are no longer edible (make sure there’s no mold on them, though). Here’s the recipe:

DIY Strawberry Facial Mask



Combine 2 or 3 ripe strawberries (leaves and hull removed) with 2 tablespoons of finely ground oats and 10 drops of lemon juice. Mash to form a paste. Spread the paste on your face and keep on for at least 15 minutes. Rinse off with water.

Useful Tips

  • Before applying mask, steam your face or use a hot washcloth over your face. The heat opens up pores allowing for a deeper cleanse.
  • Apply the mask using your fingertips to gently massage in a circular motion, avoiding eyes and lips.
  • Use warm water and a washcloth to rinse off the mask. Then splash your face with cool water to close up your pores.
  • Pat dry.


There you have it! Strawberries taste good, work as an all-natural facial, and are good for your bones. Have fun with this versatile fruit, share this information with your family and friends, and leave your comments below.

Here’s to your beauty and to your bones!