Strawberries

Visually striking and reminiscent of the shape of hearts, smooth yet studded to the touch and appealing and refreshing in taste, strawberries stand out among fruits. Loaded with antioxidants, strawberries boast red pulp with small yellow-brown seeds. Berries, generally, score a 93 out of 100 in Dr. T.C. Fry’s “A General Guide to Food Selection.”

A medium-size strawberry measures 1¼ inches in diameter, weighs 12 grams and contains 4 calories. A cup of whole strawberries weighs 144 grams and contains 46 calories.

Strawberries are available year-round but are in peak season in April, May and October. A favorite to pick in gardens and at community markets, strawberries with shiny, firm bodies and green caps are prime fruits.

Strawberries are native to Europe, but the United States produces the world’s most strawberries, with 1.3 million tons in 2011. Turkey (302,416 tons), Spain (262,730), Egypt (240,284) and Mexico (228,900) are the other nations among the five leading producers.

Stats for 100 Grams of Strawberries (Raw)

• 32 calories

Notable Nutrients

Percentages based on the Reference Daily Intake for a 2,000-calorie diet

• Fiber: 8%
• Folate: 6%
• Vitamin C: 98%
• Manganese: 19.3%

Carbs/Protein/Fat

• Carbohydrates: 85.3%
• Protein: 6.9%
• Fat: 7.7%

Food Type

• Acid fruit

Sources

• Self Healing Colitis & Crohn’s by Dr. David Klein
• http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2385
• http://www.cronometer.com
• http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/strawberries.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry