the healthy strawberry

The sweet juiciness and deep red color of strawberries can brighten up any meal; no wonder they are the most popular berry in the world!! Although strawberries are now available year-round, they’re at their peak from April through July. 

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, and iodine. And not only do strawberries look like a fruity heart-shaped valentine, they’re filled with phytonutrients that love to promote your health.

Strawberries, like other berries, are famous in the phytonutrient world as a rich source of phenols such as anthocyanins and ellagitannins. The strawberry’s anthocyanins provide its flush of red color, and are potent antioxidants which help protect cell structures and prevent oxygen damage in all of the body's organ systems. Strawberries' unique phenol content makes them a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit, all rolled into one. 

The ellagitannin content of strawberries has been associated with decreased rates of cancer death. In one study, strawberries topped a list of eight foods most linked to lower rates of cancer deaths among a group of over 1,000 elderly people. Those eating the most strawberries were three times less likely to develop cancer compared to those eating few or no strawberries.

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Surprisingly, intake of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins, and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of ARMD; however, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.

Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but strawberries can help you reach this goal. Top your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt, or cottage cheese with fresh strawberries. Dress up any green salad with sliced strawberries, slivered almonds, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. And for an easy, elegant dessert, blend fresh or frozen strawberries with a spoonful of honey and some soy or cow's milk or yogurt. Freeze for 20 minutes, then spoon into serving cups and decorate with a sprig of mint.

As strawberries are very perishable, they should only be purchased a few days prior to use. Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mold, and which have a shiny, deep red color and attached green caps. Since strawberries, once picked, do not ripen further, avoid those that are dull in color or have green or yellow patches since they are likely to be sour. Medium-sized strawberries are often more flavorful than those that are excessively large. If you are buying strawberries prepackaged in a container, make sure that they are not packed too tightly (which may cause them to become crushed and damaged) and that the container has no signs of stains or moisture. Before storing in the refrigerator, remove any that are moldy or damaged. Strawberries will keep fresh in the refrigerator for one or two days.

Do not wash strawberries until right before eating or using in a recipe. Do not remove their caps and stems until after you have washed the berries under cold running water and patted them dry. This will prevent them from absorbing excess water, which can degrade their texture and flavor. To remove the stems, caps, and white hull, simply pinch these off with your fingers or use a paring knife.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Add sliced strawberries to mixed green salad.
• Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and plain yogurt in a wine glass to make a parfait dessert.
• Mix chopped strawberries with cinnamon, lemon juice, and maple syrup and serve as a topping for waffles and pancakes.
• Blend strawberries with a 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.

Excerpted with permission from “World’s Healthiest Foods” www.whfoods.com