Calories in Strawberries: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Strawberries are a bright red, juicy fruit. They’re known for their sweet flavor and impressive nutrition profile.

They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and are also low in calories.

Eating them regularly may provide a variety of health benefits, from reduced risk of chronic illness to weight loss.

This article provides an overview of strawberries, their nutrition facts, and why they are one of the healthiest fruits you can include in your diet.

Strawberry Nutrition Facts

Strawberries are one of the lowest-calorie fruits that you can eat.

Their nutrition facts include lots of fiber, in addition to more than 20 beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Here is an overview of the major nutrients, including their daily value (DV), provided by 1 cup of whole strawberries (1):

Calories: 46
Protein: 1 gram
Total Fat: 0.4 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Trans Fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 11 grams
Dietary Fiber: 3 grams
Vitamin C: 141% of the DV
Vitamin K: 4% of the DV
Folate: 9% of the DV
Iron: 3% of the DV
Potassium: 6% of the DV
Magnesium: 5% of the DV
Manganese: 28% of the DV

Additionally, strawberries are high in powerful antioxidants, which are likely responsible for a majority of their health benefits.

SUMMARY: There is a small amount of calories in strawberries. They are low in total fat, saturated fat, and protein, yet high in several vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

How Many Calories Are in a Single Strawberry?

The calories single strawberry contains are low. One medium strawberry provides approximately 4 calories.

This means you can eat many of them, without worrying about going overboard on your calorie intake.

A typical serving size for strawberries is 1 cup, which is about the size of your fist. This serving size of whole strawberries contains a similar calorie content to 1 cup halves.

SUMMARY: Strawberries are very low in calories, providing approximately 4 calories per medium berry.

How Many Calories Are in a Cup of Strawberries?

A cup of strawberries contains approximately 46 calories. This is low compared to other fruits. For comparison, there are approximately 85 calories in a cup of blueberries.

Calories in blueberries are almost two times higher than the calories that strawberries contain (1).

SUMMARY: There are less than 50 calories in a cup of strawberries. This is less than the calories provided by several other fruits, including some berries.

Why Are Strawberries so Low in Calories?

Strawberry calories are low due to their water content.

Since they are mostly made up of water, this lowers their calorie density, which is the measure of the calorie content of food relative to its weight or volume.

In a cup of strawberries, there are approximately 138 grams of water compared to only 46 calories, making them about 95% water (1).

SUMMARY: Due to the high water content of strawberries, they provide a small amount of calories for a relatively large portion.

How Many Carbs in a Cup of Strawberries?

Not only does the high water content of strawberries make them low calorie, it also makes them low in carbs.

There are 11 grams of carbs in a cup of whole strawberries, which is only 4% of the daily value. The carbs come from natural sugars, such as fructose, glucose, and sucrose.

What’s more, the fiber that strawberries provide helps slow the impact that they have on your blood sugar levels after eating them.

As long as they are consumed in a reasonable portion, they should not lead to blood sugar spikes, which is helpful for people who have diabetes (1).

Strawberries are considered to be low in carbs compared to some other fruits.

For example, a banana contains 27 grams of carbs (2).

SUMMARY: Due to the high water content of strawberries, they provide a small amount of calories for a relatively large portion.

Are Strawberries Good for Weight Loss?

Strawberries alone will not lead to weight loss. However, they contain several healthy properties that are known to support weight loss efforts.

For example, their fiber content may help with weight loss by promoting feelings of fullness.

Foods that are high in fiber help slow digestion, which reduces your appetite and helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day (3).

Additionally, the water in strawberries is weight-loss-friendly.

Eating water-rich foods, like strawberries, may help you feel full and automatically reduce the amount of calories that you need to satisfy your appetite (4).

The small amount of calories that strawberries contain is also good for weight loss. You can eat quite a few of them while staying within a reasonable calorie intake.

SUMMARY: Weight loss may result from a diet high in foods rich in water and fiber, such as strawberries. Calories strawberries offer are also low, making them a great food to eat if you have a goal to lose weight.

Strawberry Health Benefits

Including strawberries in your diet may have a variety of health benefits, such as the following:

Heart Health

The fiber, antioxidants, and potassium that strawberries provide have effects that may support heart health.

They have been shown to reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels, which may in turn help decrease the risk of heart disease (5, 6, 7).

Cancer Prevention

Strawberries help fight inflammation and oxidative stress due to the antioxidants they provide, such as anthocyanins.

Some laboratory and animal studies have suggested that the properties of strawberries may help prevent tumor formation and stop the growth of cancer cells (8, 9).

Blood Sugar Control

Strawberries have a low glycemic index (GI), which is a ranking of how the total carbohydrate in foods affects blood sugar levels.

Foods with a low GI are digested more slowly, which is beneficial for blood sugar control.

Some studies have shown that eating strawberries specifically may help reduce spikes in sugar and insulin in the body after eating a carb-rich meal, which is especially helpful for those with diabetes (5, 6, 10).

Immune System Support

Eating strawberries may promote immune health due to the vitamin C that they provide, exceeding over 100% of the daily values in one cup serving.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant known for its ability to help prevent and improve outcomes of illness (1 1, 12).

SUMMARY: Strawberries have many health-promoting properties that may reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. They also have the potential to support the immune system and blood sugar control.

Final Word on Calories In Strawberries

Strawberries are low in calories and total carbohydrates, yet incredibly rich in nutrients.

What really makes them shine is their daily values of vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and vitamin C.

They are also high in antioxidants, which are responsible for many of their beneficial properties.

Eating them regularly, in combination with an otherwise healthy diet, may help prevent diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

These berries are a delicious addition to your diet. They can be consumed as a snack, an addition to a meal, or even as a healthy dessert.