WHY IS 🍓 NOT A BERRY? I'LL TELL YOU ROSEMARY! - interesting facts about strawberries - Food Photo Shot

Erdbeere, Frutillas, Fragile, Fraises or Truskawki–all these words mean just one: STRAWBERRIES! Scientifically known as Fragaria Ananassa, were originated in Europe in the 18th century.

As you must have noticed from my previus posts, strawberries are my top favourite fruits. This is due to their juicy texture, a characteristic aroma, non-substitutable sweet flavor, variety of use and health benefits. From my love to these fruits, I decided to share with you some information about them, which you may find interesting.

Learn about its Nutritional Facts and Health Benefits:

◼️ Strawberries mainly consist of water (91%) and carbohydrates (7.7%). They contain only minor amounts of fat (0.3%) and protein (0.7%).

◼️ About 26% of the carb content of strawberries is in the form of fibers. Dietary fibers are important to feed the friendly bacteria in the gut and improve digestive health.

◼️ One cup of whole strawberries (150 grams) contains less than 50 calories, which means that they are weight loss - friendly.

◼️ Strawberries have a glycemic index score of 40, which is relatively low.This means that strawberries should not lead to big spikes in blood sugar levels, and are considered safe for diabetics.

◼️ They are an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese, and also contain decent amounts of folate (B9) and potassium:
✔️ Vitamin C is important for the immune system and skin health.
✔️ Manganese is important for many processes in the body.
✔️ Folate is important for normal tissue growth and cell function, and particulary recommended for pregnant women, and the elderly.
✔️ Potassium is involved in many essential body functions, such as regulating blood pressure.
To a lesser extent, strawberries also contain iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, vitamin K and vitamin E.

◼️ Strawberries are very rich in antioxidants and plant compounds, and may have benefits for heart health and again for blood sugar control.

◼️ Thanks to anthocyanins, strawberries can also improve heart health wchich is essential as heart disease is the most common cause of death worldwide

◼️ Strawberry consumption may also help prevent several types of cancer , through their ability to fight oxidative stress and inflammation.

Read more: here.

Now read some Interesting Facts:

🍓 WHICH COUNTRY GROWS THE MOST STRAWBERRIES?

USA - it is leading producer of strawberries In the world. Strawberries are grown in every single U.S. state, but California produces 75 percent of strawberry crops in the U.S.

🍓 WHERE THE NAME OF STRAWBERRIES COME FROM?

Historians aren’t sure, but according to Old Farmer’s Almanac there is a few theories about that. One theory says that woodland pickers strung them on pieces of straw to carry them to market. Others believe that the surface of the fruit looks as if it’s embedded with bits of straw.

🍓 IS STRAWBERRY A FRUIT OR A VEGETABLE?

Neither! It is the enlarged receptacle of the flower, classed as "aggregate fruits". And the ripe, red, fleshy part that we think of as the strawberry “fruit” is actually swollen receptacle tissue – the part of the plant that connected the flower to the stem. When a strawberry flower is pollinated, it triggers the receptacle tissue to grow and change.

🍓 WHY STRAWBERRIES AREN'T REALLY BERRIES?

A true berry is a fleshy fruit formed from the ovary of a single flower with a seed, or seeds, embedded on the inside of the flesh. There is a few biological criteria which fruit needs to meet to be considered a berry, but I’ll give you one example. Berries have seeds on the inside of the fruit. As you can see just from looking, strawberry’s seeds are studded all around the outside of the fruit. Strawberries are fruits that develop from multiple ovaries of a single fruit.
Read more here and here

🍓 HOW MANY SEEDS HAS AN AVERAGE STRAWBERRY?

According to countryliving.com, there are 200 SEEDS on an average strawberry! And as opposed to any other fruits, they have their seeds on the outside. Actually, what we consider to be seeds, are not really seeds. When a strawberry flower is pollinated, the fruit doesn’t swell. The fertilized ovaries in the flower form separate, small, dry fruits. Those “seeds” on the outside of a strawberry are actually the fruits, each of which contains a single seed. Read more here

🍓 HOW TO KEEP YOUR STRAWBERRIES FRESH FOR LONGER?

Simply don't rinse cut strawberries under water until you're ready to eat them—it speeds up spoiling.

🍓 IS THERE A NATIONAL STRAWBERRY DAY?

Yes! If you love strawberries, there is no better day than 27th February to celebrate with them. Moreover, there is also a Strawberry Week in Delaware which falls on week May 21-27. And yes, it's celebrated annually.

🍓WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT STRAWBERRIES?

There is perhaps no better place to learn more about strawberries than Museum in Belgium
There is a Museum Musée de la fraise in Belgium dedicated to strawberries. To find out more, go to http://www.museedelafraise.eu/

I hope that even if strawberries weren’t your favourite fruits so far, I have now convinced you to eat them more frequently, due to its benefits.

The best time to get them is when they are in the season, as that’s when they are cheaper, Fresher with a higher nutritional value and taste the best.

Peak seasons are as follows:

USA: April – June
UK : May – September
POLAND : June-August.

To find a far near you in the UK, click here

And if you live somewhere else, please refer to helpful Uncle Goole 😉

We have been recently out to the farm in Tickhilland brought two large baskets of strawberries. Half of them we’ve already used to our smoothies we take to work for second breakfast, weekend’s dessert and lunch. The rest is frozen and awaiting for it’s destiny.

Strawberries are great, as you can have them just as they are – raw, with sugar/honey/cream/whipped cream/chocolate or you can preserve, pickle, ferment, freeze them for later use. You can choose from jams, sauces, juices, milkshakes, smoothies to alcohol drinks, salads, all sorts desserts and of course cakes!

What is your favourite strawberries use?

What should I use strawberries for next ? 😃

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