Strawberries refer to the large-fruited varieties of wild strawberries – green, musk, and pineapple. The fruits of this berry plant are prized for their anti-cancer properties. Strawberry berries are rich in anthocyanins, catechins, kaempferol, quercetin, and other flavonoids – compounds that protect cells from oxidation, thereby prolonging youth. So, indulge in strawberries during the season and stock up for winter.
Calories in Strawberries
The energy value of fresh strawberries is 33 calories. Strawberries contain no saturated fats or cholesterol; instead, they are packed with dietary fiber, carbohydrates, sugars, folic, salicylic, oxalic, and malic acids. This berry is also high in manganese, iodine, iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, cobalt, vitamin C, and carotene. If you don’t have diabetes, allergies, or gastrointestinal issues, you can eat up to 500 grams of strawberries a day.
Nutritionists even allow indulging in this berry before bedtime (the bromine in strawberries helps with sleep) and recommend night snack lovers to satisfy their hunger with strawberries and kefir. Combining strawberries with dairy products reduces the irritating effect of the berries on the stomach lining, so dress these berries with yogurt, cream, or sour cream. Strawberries should not be consumed on an empty stomach; they are served as a dessert after the main meal.
Before consuming, strawberries should be thoroughly washed, as manure is used in the cultivation of the crop. A brief soak in a baking soda solution can help eliminate the smell of organic fertilizers. After soaking for five minutes, it is recommended to rinse the strawberries under running water to remove any remaining soda.
Strawberries: Benefits and Contraindications
By combating oxygen ions, free radicals, and peroxides, strawberry antioxidants enhance the body’s resistance to chronic diseases of various kinds, prevent tumor development, normalize blood pressure, reduce the likelihood of heart attacks by a third, and hinder atherosclerosis. The positive effects of this healing berry on vision, neurological health, and skin have been confirmed. In cosmetology, strawberry masks are used to even out skin tone, eliminate freckles, age spots, and wrinkles.
The June berry alkalizes the body, dissolving and eliminating uric acid crystals. Drinking water with strawberries can help expel oxalates even faster: stones will pass painlessly through urine. Since strawberries are a diuretic themselves, caution is advised for those with kidney issues and urinary tract problems: fruit acids can exacerbate cystitis and pyelonephritis. It is also not advisable for hypertensive individuals taking enalapril, as this can overload the kidneys.
Strawberries can cause heartburn, diarrhea, and bloating, so it’s best not to overindulge in this summer fruit. Those with peptic ulcers and gastritis should completely avoid strawberries due to their high content of irritating acids. Allergic individuals should also steer clear of this berry: typical reactions to strawberry components can include skin rashes, inflammation, itching, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, overeating strawberries can even trigger respiratory arrest.
Vitamins Found in Strawberries
Strawberries harvested in season can be frozen for winter. Frozen strawberries retain the same beneficial properties as fresh fruits. In frozen strawberries, vitamins C, A, E, K, and B vitamins are preserved.
This fragrant berry contains a healing composition of trace elements beneficial for women’s health and pregnancy. Folic acid prevents abnormal fetal development in pregnant women. Strawberries counteract the risk of female cancers, reducing the likelihood of breast cancer, boosting metabolism, strengthening hair, rejuvenating skin, and improving mood.
They are also excellent liver cleansers. A preventive dose is 300 grams of fresh berries per day. To normalize cholesterol levels in the body, strawberries should be eaten without sugar. The advantage of strawberries lies in their quick absorption (digested in 20 minutes).
Vitamin C in Strawberries
These fruits are considered the most vitamin-rich berries: each one meets 18% of a person’s daily vitamin C requirement. In terms of vitamin C content, five strawberries are equivalent to a large orange. In percentage terms, strawberries contain more vitamin C and less sugar than lemons.
Salicylic acid thins the blood, prevents clot formation, and reduces the load on the heart.
It’s important to follow food pairing rules. If strawberries are in the diet, there should be no starchy foods, legumes, peas, mushrooms, eggs, or fish. In desserts, strawberries pair well with bananas, oranges, kiwis, limes, peaches, melons, cherries, blackberries, and blueberries.
What to Make with Strawberries?
The fragrant berry is served fresh (with sugar and sour cream), used as a filling in pies and dumplings, and is also used to make soups, salads, desserts, and cocktails. In some cuisines, strawberries are even pickled with vinegar, sugar, salt, and rosemary.
Strawberry Salad with Arugula
In a large bowl, combine 500 grams of washed and quartered strawberries with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. In a separate cup, whisk together another tablespoon of vinegar with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix the strawberries with two handfuls of chopped arugula, half a cup of toasted walnuts, and the vinegar-oil dressing. Chill the salad for an hour before serving.
Strawberry Gazpacho
A refreshing dish for hot summer days – cold berry soup. For this Spanish recipe, divide the ingredients into two parts: for the filling and for the pouring.
For the filling, use equal amounts of chopped strawberries and diced cucumber (a quarter cup of each), 300 grams of creamy cheese, a handful of finely chopped dill and green onions, a third of a cup of toasted almonds, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and chili pepper to taste.
For the pouring, blend 2 kilograms of strawberries with half a cup of olive oil, a medium-sized diced cucumber, half a cup of chopped green onions, half a clove of garlic, half a cup of red bell pepper, a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar, a bunch of tarragon, and black pepper and salt to taste.
Chill the mixture of chopped filling ingredients overnight in the refrigerator. Blend the strawberries until smooth and mix with the remaining pouring ingredients, adding water if the mixture is too thick, and chill for a few hours. When serving, place the filling in bowls and pour the gazpacho over it. The summer strawberry soup is ready.
Oatmeal with Strawberries
For a quick strawberry breakfast, use 2 cups of milk and instant oatmeal, 500 grams of strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, and a pinch of salt.
Mix the strawberries with sugar and let them sit for a few minutes to release their juice. In a pot, combine milk and one and a half cups of water, add salt, and bring to a medium heat. Stir in the oatmeal and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Once removed from heat, serve in portions, adding a spoonful of sour cream to each bowl and drizzling with strawberry syrup.
English Dessert
For a classic strawberry trifle, you will need: 500 grams of sponge cake (in the form of a layer or cookies), 4 eggs, 20 grams of butter, 1.5 cups each of strawberries and sour cream, 300 ml of milk, 200 grams of any fruit jam, half a cup of fruit liqueur, half a cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon each of flour and powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, a pinch of vanilla, and some nuts and mint for garnish.
Crumble the sponge cake, pour half of the prepared liqueur and jam over it. Mix and let it soak. Heat the milk with vanilla over low heat until boiling, then turn off the heat. Beat the egg yolks with sugar, add flour and cornstarch. Mix until smooth, combine with the milk, bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Add the remaining liqueur and butter to the cream. Stir the mixture until the butter melts. Once the cream cools, refrigerate it for half an hour.
In a glass dish, layer the sponge cake, berries, cream, and sour cream whipped with powdered sugar. Cover the strawberry trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours. When serving, garnish the dessert with chopped nuts and mint leaves.
Strawberry Cheesecake
This elegant dessert will remind you of both soufflé and cheese casserole. For half a kilogram of strawberries, you will need 3 eggs, 2 cream cheeses, 400 grams of cottage cheese, a cup of crushed crackers, one and a half cups of sugar, 3 tablespoons each of fruit syrup and butter, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Spread the strawberries evenly in a pan, drizzle with fruit syrup, and simmer over low heat for half an hour until thickened. Transfer the berry puree to a bowl, add cornstarch, and mix until smooth and cool. In another bowl, crush the crackers, mix in sugar, and add melted butter. Spread an even layer of the mixture in a baking dish and place it in a preheated oven for five minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool.
Grate the cream cheese and mix it with eggs, sugar, and salt. Blend the cottage cheese with cinnamon and combine everything with the strawberry puree. Pour the strawberry-cheese mixture over the baked crust, place it in the oven, and bake for half an hour at 140°C. Before serving, drizzle the cooled cheesecake with strawberry puree.
Strawberry-Chocolate Dessert
For 400 grams of strawberries, you will need 250 grams of chopped chocolate and a third of a cup of crushed pistachios.
Place the chocolate in a double boiler, remove from heat after melting, and dip the washed and dried strawberries into it. After dipping in the melted chocolate, roll each berry in the pistachio crumbs and place them on wax paper. Serve the dessert quickly chilled in the refrigerator (no longer than 15 minutes to prevent the chocolate from sweating).
Strawberry Lemonade
For a refreshing drink on a hot day, use 2 liters of still mineral water, 500 grams of strawberries, half a cup of fresh lemon juice, a third of a cup of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar.
Blend the washed berries with half the sugar, then add the remaining sugar along with the water and lemon juice. Mix well, garnish with powdered sugar, and serve with ice.