Strawberries are a favorite summer fruit. The sweet berries appear in everything from yogurt to desserts and even salads. Strawberries, like most berries, are a low-glycemic fruit, making them a tasty option for people looking to control or reduce their glucose levels. June is usually the best time to pick fresh strawberries, but the red berries are available in supermarkets year-round. They are delicious raw or cooked in a variety of recipes ranging from sweet to savory. Strawberries are rich in fiber and vitamin C, a nutrient pairing that's great for reducing oxidative stress, which can reduce heart disease and cancer risk. Plus, strawberries are a good source of potassium, which has been shown to help protect against heart disease. “Potassium can help lower blood pressure, as it helps buffer the effect of sodium on blood pressure,” says Vandana Sheth, RD, a spokesperson for the for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Enjoying foods that are rich in potassium while also lowering sodium intake may help reduce risk of high blood pressure and stroke.” Regularly eating berries, including strawberries, has been linked to reduced risk of cancers, including esophageal cancer and lung cancer, in animal studies; the research is promising but still mixed in human studies.Strawberries are good for the whole body. They naturally deliver vitamins, fiber, and particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols -- without any sodium, fat, or cholesterol. They are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. Just one serving -- about 8t strawberries -- provides more vitamin C than an orange. This member of the rose family isn’t really a fruit or a berry but the enlarged receptacle of the flower. Choose medium-sized ones that are firm, plump, and deep red; once picked, they don’t ripen further. First cultivated in ancient Rome, strawberries are now the most popular berry fruit in the world. In France, they were once regarded as an aphrodisiac.