Strawberries could help protect against fatty deposits that cause heart attacks and strokes

Tucking into a bowl of fresh strawberries could prevent the build-up of fatty deposits that cause heart attacks and strokes, scientists have found.

The vitamin C-rich fruit protects against potentially fatal artery blockages caused by high cholesterol, their study showed, and the benefits can be seen within an hour of consumption.

The British eat nearly 200,000 tons of strawberries every year – Wimbledon attendees alone get through more than 38 tons over the tournament.

Scientists at Setsunan University in Osaka, Japan, wanted to see how soon after eating the fruit the health effects became evident.

They gave 23 healthy volunteers, all young women in their early twenties, a 500g strawberry puree or a sugary drink.

Strawberries, pictured here on sale at the Wimbledon tennis championships on July 9, could help stop heart attacks and strokes, research suggests

Actress Cara Delevigne munches down on strawberries and cream at Wimbledon on July 10

Half an hour later they took blood samples – repeating the process every 30 minutes for another four hours.

The results, published in the Journal of Nutritional Science, showed the strawberry group had fewer signs of a build of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, than those given the sugar-flavoured treat.

LDL is the harmful form of cholesterol which can cause blood vessels to narrow and become blocked.

Clots that subsequently form can trigger a heart attack or stroke.

These benefits were apparent within an hour of downing the strawberry puree and lasted for at least four hours afterwards.

In a report on their finding researchers said: ‘Strawberries are an important source of nutritive compounds and studies show high consumption of fruits like them is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.’