Strawberries are among one of the best fruits consumed in the world. You can eat them plain, make smoothies or even mix with other fruits to make a salad.
No one doubts their edibility. But how about strawberry leaves? Have you considered eating them someday? After all, you comfortably eat other greens like spinach and kales without even giving it thought.
So should you eat strawberry leaves? Yes, you can eat strawberry leaves. The good thing is, there are some fantastic ways of preparing them. That’s not all, strawberry leaves are packed with antioxidants and can also provide other benefits to your health.
Are Strawberry Leaves Poisonous?
You may be worried and concerned with whether strawberry leaves could be poisonous or can cause health concerns.
Well, strawberry leaves are not poisonous. On the contrary, they contain tannins with low pH levels and are easily digestible. In other words, these elements can help with cramps, bloating, or an upset stomach.
Like other leafy greens, these nutritious leaves are loaded with vitamins and will enhance your health. So take them as often as you can. And they are best when eaten together with the fruit.
How Can You Eat Strawberry Leaves?
You don’t have to eat strawberry leaves in a plain way. You can get creative and come up with various ways of enjoying this delicacy.
Method #1: Infuse Vinegar
Instead of plain vinegar, you can infuse it with strawberry leaves for a fancy and fast twist. Just cover the leaves with vinegar (the best varieties are red wine, white wine, or balsamic vinegar). Allow the mixture to settle for an hour, and use the infused vinegar for sauces and dressings.
Method #2: Infuse Water
This is a simple and affordable way of creating fruit-infused water, maybe like the one you last enjoyed in your favorite spa.
All you need to do is to add strawberry tops to a jar of water, allow it to sit for an hour. After that, you can enjoy your infused water.
Method #3: Infusing your Booze
Are you a lover of booze and want some infused drink?
Cover the strawberry leaves with either vodka, gin, rum or any other spirit. Allow the mixture to sit for two days. Strain and shake up your cocktail and enjoy the sweet scent of strawberries.
Method #4: Smoothies
If you are a smoothie enthusiast, you can add some tone of health benefits by blending the berries together with the leaves.
Plain strawberry leaves may not make the best smoothie, but together with the fruit and other excellent greens, you’re sure to enjoy your drink.
Method #5: Flavoring Kombucha
If you are a kombucha fan, you know strawberry flavored is irresistible. Instead of discarding the berry tops, why don’t you include them? These leaves will enhance the ripe berry flavor.
Something to note, as you use your strawberry leaves, make sure you’ve thoroughly washed them with running water. This will reduce the chances of infections.
Method #6: Strawberry Tea
Here, you can use dried strawberry leaves to make tea.
Mix dried leaves with hot water, put the tea bags. You may add milk and a sweetener of your choice.
What are the Health Benefits of Strawberry Leaves?
Now that you know some creative ways of preparing your strawberry leaves, why should you eat them? We provide a tone of health benefits you can enjoy.
Benefit #1: Packed with Antioxidants
Just like the strawberry fruits, the leaves are also a rich source of antioxidants. These are essential elements that help the body protect its cells from harmful free radicals from sunlight, smoke, pollution, sunlight, or prolonged exercise.
However, as the leaves age, the level of antioxidant properties reduce. For maximum benefits, only consume fresh strawberry leaves.
Benefit #2: Boost Your Immune System
When you take about 80g of strawberry, you supply 115% of your daily intake of vitamin C. This means you’ll have better immunity and can withstand most diseases, even the common colds, and coughs.
Benefit #3: Weight Management
If you have a sweet tooth and looking for a guilt-free snack, low in calories and sugars, strawberry with its leaves would be an amazing option. You can add it to dark chocolate or coconut flakes.
Also, it has a high satiety value, meaning you’ll feel fuller longer after eating it.
Benefit #4: Regulation of Blood Sugar
With the risk of insulin resistance, you want to incorporate any meal that will regulate your blood sugar and increase glucose absorption.
That said, combining a bowl of strawberries with a carbohydrate-rich diet reduces the spike of sugar levels. This can reduce the instance of insulin resistance in the long run.
Benefit #5: Anti-microbial Properties
With a wide range of polyphenols in strawberry leaves, your body will be better positioned to fight microbes such as bacteria and parasites.
Eat clean strawberries with their leaves on a regular basis for improved health.
Benefit #6: Promote Heart Health
Some elements in strawberry leaves, such as anthocyanin, play a role in promoting cardiovascular health. They are known to reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, cholesterol profile, and blood pressure.
With the leaves, there is better blood flow and improved management of hypertension.
Final Thoughts
- You can eat strawberry leaves. They are not poisonous and are best enjoyed when eaten together with the fruit.
- There are many creative ways of incorporating strawberry leaves into your diet. You can infuse it in different drinks like water, tea, or even spirits. Blending together with the fruit is also another way of enjoying the leaves.
- Strawberry leaves are packed with healthy nutrients and can help maintain blood pressure, improve immunity, protect the body, and enhance your cardiovascular health.