Strawberries - a blend of flavor, color and nutrition

Strawberries are most popular berry fruit in the world. Although strawberries have become increasingly available year-round, they are at the peak of their season from April through July when they are the most delicious and abundant. Did you know there are more than 600 varieties of strawberries that differ in flavor, size and texture! The most common scientific names for strawberry are Fragaria virginiana and Fragaria chilioensis.

Nutritional Facts: Strawberries not only look like a fruity heart-shaped valentine, they are filled with unusual phytonutrients that love to promote your health. Strawberries are recognized as having more vitamin C than some citrus fruits. They are also high in fiber, folate, potassium and antioxidants, making them a natural means of reducing the chances of heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. They contain only 55 calories per one cup serving, and containing 140% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C for children. Eating them more often will add to a person's overall long term health.

Benefits are many and they include:

Strawberries can help you combat cardiovascular disease, cancer, and prevent or delay the onset of many of the effects of aging.
Strawberries help your Body Combat Heart Attach, Stroke, and Alzheimer's Disease.
Strawberries can be included in all manner of salads, appetizers, and desserts, to get the best benefit, eat them raw as they contain a full day's supply of vitamin C per serving when raw.
Including a few strawberries with your morning cereal will be doing your body big favor, at very little cost to your waistline.
This, along with manganese, are considered to be important antioxidant nutrients that assist to protect the body tissues from oxygen related damage, which can lead to a range of other diseases.
Researchers say muscular degeneration is the primary cause of loss of vision in older people. Statistics reveal that adults who don't take fruits and berries are more likely to suffer from this problem by 36% than adults who do so. By taking strawberries on a daily basis, you are eating a food that will help to protect you from experiencing an unsettling aliment.
Another advantage of nutrients contained in strawberries is that some of them are also antimicrobial. This stops the growth of certain bacterial and fungi in the linings of the body, stopping you from contacting a number of opportunistic infections.

How to shop and store strawberries:

Strawberries are among the most versatile of fresh fruits. Unfortunately, they are quite perishable as well. So purchase fresh strawberries only a few days before they are to be eaten.

Unlike other fruits, strawberries do not continue to ripen after they are picked, so be sure to choose the ripest, reddest strawberries, as they will provide the best taste and the highest nutrient density.

When buying pre-packaged strawberries, be sure that the berries have not been packed too tightly, as this could cause them to be crushed or otherwise damaged.

Like all fruit, strawberries should be washed thoroughly prior to eating or storage.

Make sure not to leave strawberries at room temperature or exposed to sunlight for too long, as this will cause them to spoil.

The strawberries should be placed in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and kept in the refrigerator

Adding a bit of lemon juice to the berries will help to preserve their color. While strawberries can be frozen whole, cut or crushed, they will retain a higher level of their vitamin C content if left whole.

Serving Tips:

Add sliced strawberries to mixed green salad.
Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries and plain yogurt in a wine glass
Mix chopped strawberries with cinnamon, lemon juice and maple syrup and serve as a topping for waffles and pancakes.
Blend strawberries with a little bit of orange juice and use as a refreshing coulis sauce that goes well with poached pears.
Add strawberries to breakfast shakes to give them a more vibrant taste and texture.

How to grow Strawberries.

In order to grow strawberries, the most important point is to know where to grow. Strawberry plants are very hardy plants during the winter but are not so hardy when they burst into life in spring. Strawberries produce flowers early in the Spring and because they are close to the ground, it is important to position strawberries where they have least risk of frost. The highest ground is always the best.
The next considerations are sun and wind - grow them in the sunniest position in the garden and in the least windy. Too much wind and insects will be unable to pollinate the plants. Strawberries grow very well in raised beds. The soil retains the moisture that they so love but at the same time there is no water logging.
Prepare the soil at least one month before planting. Incorporate as much organic matter as possible and include two handfuls of bonemeal per square metre (yard). A few days before planting apply the recommended dose of general fertiliser such as Growmore. Strawberries are greedy feeders over a relatively short period of time. The soil's pH should be slightly acid, from 5.5 to 6.5.
Dig a hole for each plant five to seven inches wide and deep enough to accommodate the roots. Set the plant into the hole with the crown just above ground level, and fill in the soil so that the roots are completely buried.
Summer fruiting strawberries (the type seen in most shops) can be planted in early September or early April. The best results undoubtedly come from planting in early September, although if your area suffers heavy winter frosts, it is best to wait until mid April. Perpetual strawberries should be planted in mid April.
Pick all strawberries the day they ripen, and eat or preserve them as soon as possible.

You will get strawberries in all the super stores through out the year. So next time don't forget to include strawberries in your shopping list and add colors and nutrition to your life.