Health Benefits of Strawberries

Strawberries are as attractive on the outside as their insides - they are filled with many necessary nutrients a body needs. No wonder they are crowned "Queen of Fruits".

Strawberries are also chosen as perfect ingredients for salads, smoothies, bread, cakes and desserts, especially fondues. Due to their bright, appealing appearance,chefs also like to use them as decorations to enhance the presentation of dishes, making them more appetizing to the guests.

How Strawberry Get its Name?

It was believed that the word "strawberry" did not exist until 1538. During the harvest time, children would pick the fruits and string them on straws of grass to be sold, thus the fruit was named "strawberry".

In the olden days, strawberries originated from the wilderness of Europe and America. Wild strawberries are small and tend to bear fruits only during month of June. But now the berries we buy today are much bigger in size because they had been cross-pollinated by scientists over the years. The scientists crossbred the wild species with the Chilean strawberries which were so much bigger in size than the wild berries.

Nutritional Properties in Strawberries

Strawberries are the only known fruit to have their seeds outside, with an average of 200 seeds per fruit.Strawberries leaves and roots can be used for medicinal purposes such as treating diarrhea, indigestion and gout. You'll find strawberries leaves in blended herbal teas. The fruit juice is also useful in soothing sunburns, cure skin blemishes and remove discolouration on the teeth.

Nutrients found in strawberries include vitamin A, C and B6, fiber, potassium, folate and various antioxidants and flavonoids. Your immune system needs these fighters to protect against diseases related to heart and cancers.

Strawberries' Health Benefits - Fighter against Cancer

Because strawberries are highly effective in fighting oxidation activity, they are ranked the top among 12 fruits that were analyzed. The credits go to the high levels of polyphenols and Vitamin C in strawberries.

Antioxidants protect your body cells from damage by carcinogens, the cancer-causing agents. They prohibit the development of carcinogens and delay the tumors from growing and expanding. It was tested that strawberry extracts actually inhibits the growth of cancerous cells.