I’ll never forget my family’s strawberry-picking expedition, which resulted in 90 pounds of berries to clean, freeze or make into jam. I was a sixth-grader, and that load of berries probably weighed more than I did at the time.
After all that picking and cleaning, I dreamed about red berries. It might have been a nightmare. Although tired of looking at them, I still didn’t lose my liking for juicy, fresh strawberries.
When spring rolls around, strawberries can be picked in season at most grocery stores just in time for spring celebrations. You won’t have to stoop or kneel to pick them, but you still need to clean them.
Strawberries get their rosy red color from natural pigments called anthocyanins. These and other natural plant chemicals, or “phytochemicals,” are believed to help protect body cells from damage, therefore helping protect us from cancer and heart disease.
A serving of eight medium strawberries (5.5 ounces) contains only 50 calories and provides 140 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin that helps your body absorb iron; maintain healthy gums, teeth and bones; and also resist infections.
Strawberries provide 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving, which assists with digestion and may play a role in reducing the risk of some chronic diseases. Potassium, a mineral that helps the body maintain normal blood pressure, helps with transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contractions. Strawberries also taste much better than a multivitamin/mineral supplement.
Strawberries are a good source of folate, one of the B vitamins. A serving of strawberries contains about 20 percent of the daily recommendation for folate, the natural form of folic acid. Among women of child-bearing age, adequate folate intake (400 micrograms daily) can help reduce the risk for certain types of birth defects, including spina bifida.
When picking strawberries in the field or at the store, look for berries with a uniform shape, bright red color and bright green caps. Store strawberries in the refrigerator loosely covered with plastic wrap. Rinse them under cool water in a strainer just prior to serving. Don’t remove their green caps before rinsing. Gently pat dry with paper toweling if needed. Strawberries have their best flavor if allowed to reach room temperature just before serving.
Add some fresh strawberries to your menus. Top your cereal with some strawberries or other berries in the morning. Try a fruit smoothie for a snack. Top angel food cake with strawberries, or make some strawberry salsa to go with grilled chicken.
Here’s a tasty dip from the California Strawberry Advisory Board. It tastes high-fat, but it’s not.
Orange Chocolate Fudge Dip
6 Tbsp. nonfat vanilla yogurt
6 Tbsp. prepared chocolate fudge sauce
1 1/2 tsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 pints fresh strawberries
Whisk ingredients together and refrigerate. Clean strawberries by rinsing and patting dry with a paper towel.
Makes six servings. Each serving with strawberries has 110 calories, 2.5 g fat, 2 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber and 55 milligrams sodium.
(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)
