Strawberry is not a berry as believed by all of us throughout our lives. Strawberry belongs to the rose family and is native to the Northern Hemisphere and its cultivated varieties are grown throughout the world. Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and are commonly used to make desserts. 

The cultivation of strawberry originated in Europe in the 18th century and by the 19th century, most countries started cultivating their own varieties of strawberries. Strawberries are produced for both immediate consumption and processing like frozen, canned or juice. 

A famous cartoon is named after a strawberry delicacy called “Strawberry Shortcake.” This cartoon had characters with interesting names like Cherry Jam, Plum Pudding, Raspberry Torte and the lead character’s name was Strawberry Shortcake. 

Strawberry is used to make jams, ice creams, strawberry syrups and much more and people can’t get enough of this tart berry. 

 

Facts About Strawberries:

1. Belgium has a museum dedicated to strawberries where you can buy everything from strawberry jam to strawberry beer. 

2. Strawberries can be pickled when they are unripe.

3. Ancient Romans believed that they had medicinal powers.

4. In France, strawberries are believed to be aphrodisiac and served to the newlyweds at traditional wedding breakfast in the form of creamy sweet soup. 

5. Strawberry is the only fruit that has its seeds outside. 

Varieties of Strawberries:

There are three types of strawberries based on the time of the year they are produced.

a. June-bearing: These plants are generally grown in June and have huge crop cultivation each year.

b. Everbearing: These plants have small-sized crop and start producing as soon as they get 12 hours of sunlight. These plants bear fruit till the end of summer. 

c. Day-neutral: These strawberry plants have three peak times to grow- early June, mid July and late August.

In India, there are different varietals of strawberries like Chandler, Tigora, Torrey, Belrubi, Pajaro, Sweet Charlie, to name a few. 

Benefits of Strawberry

These fruits are packed with vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants. Eating strawberries can reduce the risk of many chronic illnesses like cancer, heart diseases and blood sugar levels. 

1. Benefits Heart Health:

Observational studies have found that consuming strawberries are linked to a lower risk of heart disease-related deaths.   

A study on middle-aged people with the risk factors of heart diseases showed that strawberries could improve the HDL (good) cholesterol level, blood pressure and blood platelets function. 

Eating strawberries may also reduce inflammation, improve the blood antioxidant status and lower the harmful oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Strawberries contain flavonoid quercetin which is a natural anti-inflammatory that can prevent atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a heart disease where the arteries become narrow and hard due to plaque build-up around the artery wall. 

2. Prevents Cancer:

The antioxidants work against cancer prevention. Strawberries contain antioxidants and can prevent tumour growth and decrease inflammation in the body.

Several studies suggest that strawberry can help prevent cancer due to their ability to combat oxidative stress and inflammation.

While no fruits act as the direct treatment for cancer, strawberries too can help reduce the risk of developing cancer in some individuals. 

3. Regulates Blood Pressure:

Strawberries have a high potassium content and are beneficial for people who have high blood pressure and balance the body’s sodium content.

Strawberries are a good fruit to add to the diets for giving a sufficient amount of potassium to the body.

Anthocyanin is an antioxidant that helps open blood vessels, which enalbes smooth blood flow and lowers the risk of high blood pressure. 

4. Prevent Diabetes:

Strawberries are a healthy choice for diabetics as a considerable amount of fibre helps regulate sugar in the body while avoiding the extreme high and lows in sugar spikes.

Fibre improves the satiety levels and gives the feeling of fullness for a longer period of time. It reduces the urge to snack on munchies and therefore reduces sugar spikes. 

5. Promotes Prenatal Health:

Strawberries contain a decent amount of folate, which is essential for pregnant women and women trying to conceive. 

Folate is essential for the development of baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord. The folic acid in strawberries also helps prevent certain birth defects like spina bifida.

6. Supports Weight Management:

A healthy weight is the best defence against type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Strawberries are low in calories, sodium, sugar and are fat-free.

Having 1.5 cups of strawberries translates into a healthy snack with 100 calories compared to 100-calories pre-packaged snacks. 

Strawberries contain several vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The health benefit of this fruit includes reducing diabetes, preventing cancer, regulating blood pressure and more.

Including strawberries in your diet can help keep you in the pink of health.