Early summer is a great time to find fruit that otherwise just isn’t in-season throughout the year.

If frequenting your local orchard for the freshest – and tastiest – fruit in your area is something you enjoy, you’re in luck…

Because studies have found that a seasonal fruit that is in-season RIGHT NOW could improve your heart health in as little as one month!

Strawberries Boost Your Heart

I don’t know about you, but strawberries are one of my favorite fruits – and it just so happens that early June is when they are most ripe and taste the best.

Not only do they taste amazing, but they are also packed with vitamins and minerals, fiber, and high levels of antioxidants – making them a no-brainer ‘superfood.’

And now, a new study has found that eating strawberries every day can improve your overall heart function and health in as little as four weeks.

A randomized, controlled, double-blind, clinical trial of moderately-high cholesterol found that drinking freeze-dried strawberry powder every day for one month improved endothelial functioning.

This is your body’s process of ensuring that the endothelium (the thin membrane that lines the walls of your heart and blood vessels) relaxes and contracts to pump blood throughout your body effectively.

If your endothelium is not functioning properly, the large blood vessels in your heart may not dilate—or open—the way they should, resulting in blood flow challenges.

But incorporating strawberries into your diet can help improve this process and help ensure your heart is working as it should.

The study looked at concentrated strawberry powder (which was consumed as a beverage), but eating fresh strawberries is also beneficial.

Right now is peak strawberry season for most of the country, so if you can find strawberries at a local fruit farm, they are going to taste amazing.

If you get strawberries from your local grocery store, opt for the organic variety as these will have less pesticides. Like any produce, just be sure to wash it thoroughly before consuming.