Strawberry juice: a glass of vitamin C with no trial of its own

A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials in adults found strawberry supplementation lowered C-reactive protein by 0.47 mg/L and total cholesterol by 6.5 mg/dL, but those trials mostly used freeze-dried powder and whole fruit, and the abstract gives no confidence intervals. We found no trial that gave people strawberry juice itself and measured an outcome. An updated meta-analysis on 100% fruit juice in general found no difference from comparators on glucose metabolism. What the juice reliably gives is vitamin C. USDA lists 38.7 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), so a 240 g glass holds about 93 mg, from a single survey row that is likely calculated from a recipe. That is about a third less than the 59.6 mg in 3.5 oz (100 g) of raw strawberries, though the two numbers come from different datasets and methods.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• 100% strawberry juice in the USDA survey database has 23 calories, 38.7 mg vitamin C and 3.2 g sugars per 3.5 oz (100 g). — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: energy 23 calories, vitamin C 38.7 mg, total sugars 3.16 g
• USDA lists 38.7 mg vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g) for strawberry juice against 59.6 mg for raw strawberries, about a third less. — — Evidence E source
  Vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g): juice 38.7 mg (FNDDS 2709332) vs raw fruit 59.62 mg (Foundation 2346409)

What a real portion looks like

• A default 240 g glass of strawberry juice gives about 93 mg vitamin C, 55 calories and 7.6 g sugars in the USDA survey database. — — Evidence E source
  240 g (quantity not specified): vitamin C 92.9 mg, energy 55.2 calories, sugars 7.6 g; 1 fl oz = 30 g

What your body absorbs

• In a crossover trial in 9 adults (4 in the no-meal conditions), a strawberry drink made with milk instead of water cut anthocyanin bioavailability by about 50% when taken without a meal. — 9 healthy adults; subset of 4 for the no-meal conditions (n = 9) Evidence B source
  About 50% lower relative oral bioavailability of pelargonidin anthocyanins with milk, without meal; no difference with a meal

What cooking and storage change

• According to NIH ODS, vitamin C in foods is lost with long storage and heat, which applies to stored or pasteurized juice. — — Evidence E source
  Direction only: losses with prolonged storage and heating

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 14 trials found strawberry supplementation lowered CRP by 0.47 mg/L and total cholesterol by 6.5 mg/dL. — 20 intervention groups from 14 clinical trials in adults (n = 14 trials) Evidence A source
  CRP MD -0.472 mg/L; total cholesterol MD -6.49 mg/dL; diastolic BP MD -2.22 mmHg; fasting glucose MD +2.08 mg/dL
• An updated meta-analysis of RCTs found 100% fruit juice no different from comparators on blood glucose markers and linked it to lower uric acid. — RCTs and prospective studies of 100% fruit juice intake in adults Evidence A source
  Neutral for glucose metabolism and gestational diabetes; lower uric acid vs comparator (size not given in abstract)

Safety, limits and interactions

• A review of 22 Japanese cochineal dye allergy cases named Japanese strawberry juice as a recent major source, with most cases being anaphylaxis. — 22 reported Japanese cases, all adult females (n = 22) Evidence C source
  All but three cases involved anaphylaxis

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU refused a claim that berries including strawberry are suitable for a heart-friendly diet because of their antioxidants. — — Evidence E source
  —

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found vitamin C-rich fruits or juices with meals probably raise serum ferritin, by 9.4 mcg/L, with little to no effect on iron absorption. — females aged 15-74 and children, 15 RCTs, 1381 participants (n = 1381) Evidence A source
  Serum ferritin MD 9.39 mcg/L (7 trials, moderate certainty); hemoglobin MD 1.34 g/L; iron absorption MD 3.36%, P = 0.07 (low certainty)

The bottom line

The same 240 g glass carries about 55 calories and 7.6 g sugars, recalculated from the 100 g values. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says vitamin C in food falls with long storage and with heat, a general statement nobody measured on strawberry juice. A meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials in women and children found that vitamin C rich fruits or juices taken with meals probably raise serum ferritin, by 9.4 mcg/L in 7 trials at moderate certainty, with no strawberry juice arm identified. Their effect on iron absorption itself did not reach significance (3.36 percent, P = 0.07, low certainty). In a very small crossover trial in healthy adults, a strawberry drink made with milk instead of water cut the bioavailability of its anthocyanins by about 50 percent when taken without a meal. With a meal milk made no difference, and the clinical meaning of this is unknown. The EU refused a claim that berries, strawberry among them, suit a heart-friendly diet because of their antioxidants. That ruling concerned whole berries and means the evidence was judged insufficient at assessment. The one safety finding is about coloring. A review of Japanese cases of allergy to cochineal, the red dye also called carmine, named strawberry juice as a recent major source, and all but three of the 22 cases were anaphylaxis. The risk comes from the dye, so it concerns colored strawberry drinks only. We found no study of strawberry juice with medicines, in pregnancy or in children.

Sources

1. stju-r2-01 · food composition database
   Strawberry juice, 100%, FNDDS code 64132500, fdc_id 2709332: Energy 23 KCAL, Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid 38.7 MG, Total Sugars 3.16 G per 100 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Strawberry juice, 100%, fdc_id 2709332 · checked 2026-10-01
2. stju-r2-03 · food composition database
   Strawberries, raw (FDC 2346409, Foundation, 2022-10-28): vitamin C 59.62 mg, sugars 4.862 g per 100 g; Strawberry juice, 100% (FNDDS 2709332): Vitamin C 38.7 MG per 100 g
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods 2022, Strawberries, raw, FDC 2346409 · checked 2026-10-01
3. stju-r2-02 · food composition database
   Strawberry juice, 100%, fdc_id 2709332: Quantity not specified 240 g: Vitamin C 92.9 MG, Energy 55.2 KCAL, Total Sugars 7.6 G; 1 fl oz (no ice) 30 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Strawberry juice, 100%, fdc_id 2709332 · checked 2026-10-01
4. stju-r2-05 · randomized controlled trial
   Milk did not influence the oral relative bioavailability of pelargonidin anthocyanins under meal conditions; however, the oral relative bioavailability of pelargonidin anthocyanins was reduced by ∼50% by milk under without meal conditions (p < 0.05).
   Food Funct, 2017 · checked 2026-10-01
5. stju-r2-04 · agency fact sheet
   The vitamin C content of food may be reduced by prolonged storage and by cooking because ascorbic acid is water soluble and is destroyed by heat [6,8].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin C Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-01
6. stju-r2-07 · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
   The pooled effect size showed that strawberry supplementation decreased circulating oxidized LDL (MD = -5.8 ng ml-1, p = 0.012), malondialdehyde (0.309 μmol L-1, p = 0.002), C-reactive protein (MD = -0.472 mg L-1, p = 0.003), total cholesterol (MD = -6.49 mg dL-1, p = 0.019), and diastolic blood pressure (MD = -2.220 mmHg, p = 0.033).
   Food Funct, 2019 · checked 2026-10-01
7. stju-r2-08 · systematic review and meta-analysis
   In summary, this meta-analysis confirmed that there was no difference between 100%FJ intake and the comparator on glucose metabolism.
   J Med Food, 2025 · checked 2026-10-01
8. stju-r2-09 · case series review
   Japanese strawberry juice and fish-meat sausage, and European processed foods (especially macarons made in France) and drinks were recent major sources of allergen.
   Allergol Int, 2018 · checked 2026-10-01
9. stju-r2-10 · EU rejected health claim
   POL-HC-6680 Berries (lingonberry, cloudberry, blueberry, currants, raspberry and strawberry) Natural berries contain plenty of natural antioxidants (polyphenolic compounds, Vitamin C and carotenoids) and fibre but only a small amount of energy and sodium. For this reason they are very suitable for a heart-friendly diet. Non-authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6680, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-01
10. stju-r2-06 · systematic review and meta-analysis
    Consuming ascorbate-rich fruits or juices with meals probably increases serum ferritin and hemoglobin concentrations and slightly reduces serum transferrin receptors but shows little to no effect on iron absorption, plasma ferritin, or body iron stores.
    Am J Clin Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-10-01