Summer brings us vacations, warm days and cookouts. Best of all, it brings that wonderful fruit, strawberries. As the plant’s distinctive white flowers turn to deep red fruit, celebrate May 20, National Strawberry Picking Day. Strawberries were first cultivated in Roman times and since then have grown to be the most popular berry worldwide In parts of France, they’re regarded as an aphrodisiac making them good for your heart in more than one way…
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Strawberries are easy to grow so U-pick farms abound. Pick ripe, firm fruit. Unlike other fruits, they won’t continue to ripen after being picked. Picking is easy, gently pull the fruit from beneath the leaf and be prepared for juice-stained fingers. Snacking is allowed as you pick; we promise they won’t weigh you coming in or going out.
Used in jams, jellies, pies, cakes and by themselves, strawberries are more than just a tasty snack, they’re filled with health benefits as well. While you indulge in this sweet treat, consider the following ways strawberries are good for your health as well as your tastebuds.
1. They boost immunity. Fresh or frozen, strawberries are packed with Vitamin C. Most mammals can produce Vitamin C naturally, but not humans. You could take a daily Vitamin tablet but why when you can have a tasty bowl of berries instead? It only takes a cup of berries to provide a daily dose of Vitamin C.
2. They promote eye health.
Vitamin C to the rescue again! Vitamin C is known to be a retardant to the development of cataracts. Antioxidants in the berry promotes good cornea and retina health as well. Is that a bowl of strawberries I see? Pass them over.
3. They help fight cancer.
It’s widely known that diet plays a role in reducing the risk of cancer. In a recent study, people with pre-cancerous esophageal lesions who consumed a strawberry concentrate drink were less likely to develop cancerous tumors. Why haven’t you gone to the farmers market yet!?
