Nutrition 202 – Superfoods
Nutritionists tend to talk in a lot of nutritional
terms like ‘carbs’, ‘protein’,
‘vitamins’ and ‘minerals’.
But we don’t eat vitamins and minerals
do we? We eat food! So in this current series,
I’ll be discussing those foods you hear
recommended all the time – things like
green tea, garlic, oily fish and more - explaining
just why they’re so good for you, how
much you should have and which superfoods you
should regularly include in your diet. This
month…
Strawberries
Ahhhh, summer! Balmy Sunday afternoons in the
park. Wimbledon. Strawberries and cream. Strawberries
are probably the most popular of all berries,
and for good reason. Native to both the old
and new worlds, there are hundreds of varieties
sporting juicy, sweet, bright red fruit. The
Latin name Fragaria refers to the fruit’s
enticing aroma, while the common name ‘strawberry’
is thought to have come from the practice of
laying straw between the rows to keep the berries
clean and to protect them in wintertime.
In art and literature the strawberry is usually
a symbol of sensuality and earthy desire. In
Bavaria, a basket of strawberries is apparently
sometimes tied between a cow’s horns to
please the elves so that they bless the cow
with abundant milk.
Why they’re good
Strawberries are nutritionally dense, great
for your skin and cardiac health, and especially
rich in the anti-cancer compound ellagic acid.
They’re also high in vitamins C and E,
beta-carotene, anti-arthritic phytonutrients
and soluble fibre.
The sweetest and most nutritious strawberries
are those that have been sun-ripened on the
plant, as this naturally increases the vitamin
C content. Just five sun-ripened strawberries
can provide your recommended daily intake of
vitamin C.
How to eat them?
Quickly before they’re all gone! Raw
is best, as cooking leaves them with only a
fraction of their original natural vitamin content.
Though in winter jams and preserves are a delicious
treat.
Avoid those with green or white tips since
they’ve not had enough sun to ripen thoroughly
and develop their full sweetness.
Choose organic. Strawberries are very vulnerable
to pest and fungal attack, and non-organic crops
are usually heavily sprayed with multiple applications
of fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides.
Lindane, methyl bromide, paraquat and parathion
are still common on imported crops. Strawberries
regularly feature in top-ten lists for pesticide
resides in UK surveys.
The Pesticide Action Network UK reports that
in four official government surveys conducted
over the last six years, there were 31 different
pesticides found on strawberries. Sixty nine
percent of all strawberries sampled had pesticide
residues, forty two percent carried more than
one pesticide residue, and the highest number
of pesticides found in one sample was six!
In her book Wonderfoods, Natalie Savona
spurns cream with her strawberries in favour
of blueberries and natural yoghurt; or blended
in a frozen banana and soy milk smoothie; or
blended with a little olive oil and balsamic
vinegar to make a strawberry salad dressing.
Or just straight from the plant!
Did you know?
A cut strawberry rubbed over your face after
washing will whiten the skin and remove a slight
sunburn.
Share a punnet of organic strawberries with
someone you love today. Or better still, get
some growing in your garden or pots.
Shane Heaton
Nutritionist
Back
to top
|
