Strawberries are a popular summer fruit and are enjoyed year-round when canned or frozen. The red fruit contains a host of benefits ranging from their high vitamin C content to their ability to lower blood pressure and high cholesterol. Strawberries are particularly beneficial to your bowels and digestive system because of their anti-inflammatory properties and high fiber content.
Constipation
Chronic constipation can result in a wide range of serious complications. Colon cancer, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis and diverticulosis usually occur after a lifetime of constipation at some level, according to the website We Health Network. To prevent constipation, you should consume approximately 1 oz., or 25g to 30g, of dietary fiber every day. In addition to diseases such as cancer, straining to have a bowel movement when you don't have sufficient fiber can lead to varicose veins, hernias, hemorrhoids and anal fissures.
Bowel Movements
While you might not become constipated, when you don't have sufficient fiber in your diet, along with appropriate fluid levels, your stools become difficult to pass because they get too hard. According to a study performed by the Health Research and Study Center, because of their high water content and fibrous properties, strawberries help you develop softer stools, making it easier to pass them without straining.
Fiber Source
According to doctors at the We Health Network, strawberries are one of the top 20 food sources of dietary fiber. One cup of strawberries has about 3g of fiber. As a bonus, that same cup of strawberries, without any added sugar, only contains 45 calories. Coupled with other dietary fiber sources, such as beans, bran, bread, dried figs and potatoes, strawberries can significantly reduce your odds of developing constipation and the associated complications.
Antioxidant Benefits
While the digestive system is teeming with millions of good and healthy bacteria, free radicals and tainted food often enter the body and can cause infections. Digestive disorders can result in either constipation or in many cases, its opposite -- diarrhea. Strawberries might help prevent the disorders because of their high antioxidant properties. According to the Health Research and Study Center, people who ate one serving of strawberries a day for four months increased levels of antioxidants in their blood by 55 percent. Between all the vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients in strawberries, the total effectiveness of the fruit rates it as one of the healthiest fruits you can consume for bowel, cardiovascular and cognitive well being.
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