Strawberry

Also known asFragaria × ananassa · 草莓

Name: Strawberry, the garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). The small, intensely flavoured wild or alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is a separate species, and the garden strawberry is a hybrid of two American wild species.

Description

The modern strawberry is a surprisingly recent invention. In the 1700s in France, the large-fruited Chilean strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), brought back from South America, was crossed by accident with the fragrant Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) from eastern North America, producing a plant with big, sweet, aromatic fruit. That hybrid is the ancestor of nearly every strawberry grown today.

Botanically, the strawberry is not a true berry. The fleshy red part is the swollen base of the flower, and the tiny “seeds” on its surface are the actual fruits, called achenes. Strawberries are now grown in almost every temperate region and are among the most widely eaten fruit in the world, though they are delicate and spoil quickly.

Main nutrition value

A sweet, red, heart-shaped berry and one of the most popular fruits worldwide.

Per 100g · Source: USDA FoodData Central

36 kcal

Nutrition Information

Protein0.6g

Total Fat0.2g

Carbohydrate6.2g

Total Sugars4.9g

Dietary Fibre1.8g

Other Nutrients

Calcium — Ca17.0mg

Iron — Fe0.3mg

Magnesium — Mg13.0mg

Phosphorus — P23.0mg

Potassium — K161.0mg

Zinc — Zn0.1mg

Copper — Cu0.04mg

Selenium — Se0.4µg

Vitamin A — Retinoids1.0µg

Vitamin E — Tocopherol0.3mg

Vitamin C — Ascorbic Acid59.6mg

Vitamin B1 — Thiamin0.03mg

Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin0.02mg

Vitamin B3 — Niacin0.4mg

Vitamin B6 — Pyridoxine0.04mg

Vitamin B9 — Folate8.0µg

Vitamin K — Phylloquinone2.1µg

Show all nutrients

Carotene, beta7.0µg

Lutein + zeaxanthin22.0µg

Choline, total5.7mg

Folate, food8.0µg

Folate, DFE8.0µg

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, and they provide manganese, folate, fibre and plant pigments (anthocyanins), while being relatively low in sugar for a sweet fruit.

How best to be consumed

Strawberries are at their best fresh and ripe, eaten soon after buying, since they do not ripen further once picked.

1. Rinse just before eating, then hull, and serve whole or sliced.
2. Add to yoghurt, porridge, salads and smoothies for natural sweetness.
3. Pair with a little cream, yoghurt or dark chocolate as a simple dessert.
4. Freeze whole or sliced for smoothies and sauces when out of season.
5. Buy local, in-season fruit where you can, since flavour is far better than out-of-season imports.

Overconsumption could cause…

Strawberries are safe in ordinary amounts, with a few specific points worth knowing.

1. Allergic reactions or itchy mouth in some people, including those with other fruit or birch pollen allergies.
2. Digestive upset, such as bloating, from a large quantity at once.
3. Pesticide residues on conventionally grown fruit, which is why thorough washing is advised.
4. Added sugar adding up when eaten as jam, syrups, sweetened sauces and desserts.

GroupsBerriesRose family (Rosaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CFresh

Made intoStrawberry Jam

Related foodsBlackberryBoysenberryLoganberryRaspberryDewberryServiceberry

Wikipedia — Strawberry, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry