Strawberry compounds, nutrients and anti-nutrients reviewed
What it found
Strawberries contain vitamin C, polyphenols and organic acids that vary widely with variety, farming method and storage, and they also contain oxalates and allergenic proteins.
The findings come from a mix of lab tests, animal studies and reviews of fruit composition.
What they found
Studies in people and animals
Ellagic acid and immunity
In lab tests on human gingival epithelial cells, ellagic acid affected innate immunity in the mouth. In mice, ellagic acid from fruit extracts reduced inflammation during acute lung injury.
Strawberry extracts and cancer cells
Methanolic strawberry extracts were tested on leukemia and breast cancer cell lines and affected cancer cell proliferation by activating apoptosis. In mice with breast adenoma, the extracts blocked tumor proliferation over time and lengthened life expectancy.
Other findings
Vitamin C varies widely
Vitamin C in strawberries ranges from 23.16 to 112.34 mg per 100 g. Variety, climate, farming method, harvest date and storage all affect the level.
Organic strawberries and vitamin C
Organic strawberries often contain more vitamin C than conventional ones. One serving from organic farming provides 9 to 10% more vitamin C than conventional fruit.
Storage and vitamin C loss
Vitamin C drops during refrigeration. After 4 days at 4 degrees C, it fell by 55.5%, and after 8 days in a refrigerator it fell by 77%.
Oxalates in strawberries
Strawberries are high in oxalates. Oxalic acid ranged from 39.634 to 145.373 mg per 100 g in open-field fruit and from 48.789 to 211.959 mg per 100 g in high-tunnel fruit.
Allergenic proteins
Seven allergenic proteins have been found in strawberry fruit. The main one belongs to the PR-10 group and can cause oral allergy symptoms like itching, tingling and swelling in the mouth or throat.
What the authors conclude
“Strawberries should be consumed primarily fresh.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say strawberries should be eaten mainly fresh, and that fresh consumption contributes to oxidative status through their high content of phenolic compounds.
- They advise that strawberry consumption should be restricted for consumers with oxaluria, as well as for vegetables and fruits with a high oxalate content, particularly soluble oxalates.
- They note that strawberries are very delicate and prone to damage and post-harvest changes, and that future research should look at how various factors affect strawberry quality.
How it was done
The authors wanted to bring together current research on the bioactive ingredients in strawberries and what these compounds do in the body.
They compiled and reviewed published data on the polyphenols, organic acids and vitamins in strawberry fruit, and on the factors that change these levels. They also looked at studies on oxalates and allergenic compounds in strawberries.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the health effects described come from lab tests on cells or from animal studies, so they cannot show what happens in people.
- The paper compiles findings from other studies rather than running its own trial, so it cannot prove cause and effect for any health outcome.
- The vitamin and compound levels vary so widely with variety, farming and storage that a single number cannot describe all strawberries.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Gdynia Maritime University, Poland; Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland
The paper
- Title
- Bioactive Ingredients with Health-Promoting Properties of Strawberry Fruit ( Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne)
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Newerli-Guz J, Śmiechowska M, Drzewiecka A, Tylingo R (2023). Bioactive Ingredients with Health-Promoting Properties of Strawberry Fruit ( Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne). Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). doi:10.3390/molecules28062711Free full textPubMed 36985683DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error