Strawberry pie is a traditional dessert enjoyed by adults and children. Understanding the nutritional value of this dish can help you incorporate it into your diet as an occasional treat. A typical strawberry pie has a single pie crust and whipped cream. This dessert can be found in grocery stores, delicatessens and restaurants, from fast food to formal. Cooks frequently prepare this dish at home, especially during the late spring and summer when fresh strawberries are at their peak. It may be served as dessert or a snack.
Healthy Ingredients
The only healthy ingredient found in most strawberry pies is the strawberries themselves. Strawberries are a potent source of antioxidants, molecules that fight the deleterious effects of our poor dietary choices. These antioxidants are thought to help prevent cancer and heart disease, among other ailments.
Unhealthy Ingredients
A typical strawberry pie contains a pie crust, which is largely made of white flour, an unhealthy ingredient. The crust also contains shortening, butter or lard, all poor choices laden with saturated fat. AllRecipes.com describes a typical recipe for strawberry pie, which uses a great deal of white sugar, another unhealthy ingredient. Whipped cream, which is high in fat, often tops strawberry pie. All in all, this culinary delight falls flat when judged nutritionally.
Nutritional Breakdown
According to AllRecipes.com, a serving of typical strawberry pie contains 265 calories. To eat an appropriately sized serving, slice the pie into eight slices and limit yourself to one slice. This serving contains approximately 11 grams of fat, which provides 17 percent of the fat allowed per day for a healthy 2,000 calorie diet. A slice of strawberry pie contain 20 mg of cholesterol, which is 7 percent of the amount most adults should consume in a day. The 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries found in a slice of pie contributes 6 percent of your daily fiber needs; 70 percent of needed vitamin C for the day; and 10 percent of your folic acid, a B vitamin.
How to Improve the Nutritional Value
To make a healthier strawberry pie, begin with a homemade crust made from graham flour. Add cinnamon or other spices to the crust and use canola oil to replace half of the fat called for in the recipe. Instead of whipped cream, add two tablespoons of vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt to the top of the pie.
How to Fit This Dish Into a Healthy Diet
If you decide to enjoy an occasional slice of strawberry pie, drink a cup of calorie-free coffee or a cup of skim milk with it. The healthiest way to consume this food is to avoid eating it after a meal and have it as a snack instead. Better alternatives to strawberry pie include three strawberries dipped in dark chocolate or 1/2 a cup of strawberries added to a cup of fat-free yogurt.
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