strawberry

Strawberry (scientific name: Fragaria × ananassa Duch.), perennial herb, 10-40 cm high. Stems are lower than leaves or nearly equal, densely covered with yellow soft hairs. Leaves are three-branched, leaflets with short petioles, thick texture, obovate or rhombus, dark green above, almost hairless, pale green below, sparsely hairy, dense along the veins; petioles densely covered with yellow soft hairs. Cymes, with a short-stalked leaflet on the lower side of the inflorescence; flowers are bisexual; sepals are ovate, slightly longer than the epicalyx; petals are white, nearly round or obovate elliptical. Aggregate fruit is large, persistent sepals are erect, close to the fruit; achenes are pointed and ovate, smooth. Flowering period is April-May, fruiting period is June-July.

Originally from South America, strawberries are widely cultivated in China and Europe. They have high nutritional value, contain a variety of nutrients, and have health benefits.

Nutritional value of strawberries

Strawberry is rich in nutrients, containing fructose, sucrose, glucose, citric acid, malic acid, salicylic acid, carotene, amino acids, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, and chromium. In addition, it is also rich in vitamins B1, B2, C, and PP, especially vitamin C.

The flesh contains a lot of nutrients such as protein, organic acid, pectin, etc. Strawberries are an important source of essential cellulose, iron, potassium, vitamin C and flavonoids for the human body. These nutrients have a good promoting effect on growth and development, and are of great benefit to the elderly and children. The nutrients in strawberries are easily digested and absorbed by the human body, and eating more will not cause cold or internal heat, making them a healthy food suitable for all ages.

According to measurements, the content of sugar, protein, and vitamin C in strawberry pulp is 7 to 10 times higher than that in apples and grapes. The content of malic acid, citric acid, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and iron in strawberry is also 3 to 4 times higher than that in apples, pears, and grapes. Taiwanese people call strawberries "living vitamin pills" and Germans call strawberries "magic fruits", which is not without reason.

1. Vitamin C

The vitamin C content of strawberries is more than 10 times higher than that of the same amount of watermelons, apples, and grapes. In addition to preventing scurvy, vitamin C also has a positive preventive effect on diseases such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Vitamin C can also eliminate the relaxation and tension between cells, making the brain cell structure firm and the skin delicate and elastic, which has an important impact on brain and intellectual development. It can also prevent and treat gum bleeding, promote wound healing, and make the skin delicate and elastic.

The vitamin C in strawberries can block the production of nitrite, a strong carcinogen in the human body, destroy the activity of specific enzymes produced during the proliferation of cancer cells, and reverse "cancerous" cells into normal cells.

2. Vitamin A

Strawberries are rich in vitamin A, which has the functions of improving eyesight, assisting in the treatment of various eye diseases, enhancing immunity, scavenging free radicals, promoting growth and development, and protecting the stomach and respiratory mucosa.

3. Carotene

The carotene contained in strawberries is an important substance for synthesizing vitamin A, which has the effect of improving eyesight and nourishing the liver.

4. Tannic acid

Strawberry is a plant rich in tannic acid, which can adsorb and prevent the absorption of carcinogenic chemicals in the body and has an anti-cancer effect.

5. Aspartic acid

Strawberries contain aspartic acid, which can naturally and peacefully remove heavy metal ions from the body.

6. Copper

Rich in copper, copper is an indispensable trace nutrient for human health. It has an important influence on the development and function of blood, central nervous and immune systems, hair, skin and bone tissue, as well as internal organs such as the brain, liver and heart.

7. Strawberryamine

It has a good effect in treating leukemia, hematologic anemia and other blood diseases.

8. Pectin and Cellulose

It can promote gastrointestinal motility, improve constipation, and prevent the occurrence of hemorrhoids and colon cancer.

9. Folic Acid

Folic acid can prevent and treat nutritional megaloblastic anemia, skin itching or bleeding.

10. Vitamin E

Vitamin E can protect the body's cell membranes from oxidative damage and remove metabolic "waste" such as oxygen free radicals in the body.

11. Vitamin PP

Vitamin PP can protect the skin, has the effect of beauty and sun protection, can also maintain the normal secretion of gastric juice, promote the formation of red blood cells, and has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on liver disease.

12. Vitamin B1 and B2

Rich in vitamins B1 and B2, it is one of the best suppliers of brain cell metabolism.

13. Iron

Strawberries contain iron, which can also effectively prevent anemia.

14. Calcium

Strawberries contain calcium, which can promote bone growth and development, and are especially suitable for children and the elderly.

15. Ellagic acid

The ellagic acid contained in strawberries can offset artificial or natural carcinogens.

16. Anthocyanins

The anthocyanin contained in strawberries is a type of flavonoids, which makes strawberries red and can prevent and fight cancer. During or after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it can increase oral moisture, moisten the lungs and relieve coughs, relieve symptoms during treatment, and inhibit the growth and reproduction of cancer cells.

The efficacy and function of strawberry

Strawberries are sweet and sour, cool in nature, non-toxic, and enter the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. They have the effects of moistening the lungs and producing body fluids, strengthening the spleen, relieving heat, relieving fever, diuresis, quenching thirst, relieving phlegm, relieving alcohol, replenishing blood, dissolving fat, cooling blood and detoxifying. They are mainly used to treat wind-heat cough, oral and tongue erosion, throat swelling, constipation, and hypertension. They have a certain preventive and therapeutic effect on gastrointestinal diseases and cardiovascular diseases, and have auxiliary therapeutic effects on diseases such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, scurvy, and colon cancer.

"Compendium of Materia Medica": "It nourishes the spleen, consolidates the vital energy, subdues the hyperactive yang, supports the weak earth, strengthens the spirit, replenishes the qi, relieves the abdominal distension, eliminates phlegm, detoxifies alcohol, stops thirst after drinking, benefits the head, and makes people happy and improves the mind."

1. Nourish blood and replenish qi

Strawberries have certain nourishing and regulating effects on the gastrointestinal tract and anemia.

2. Nourishes the lungs and promotes fluid production

It nourishes yin and moistens the lungs, removes lung dryness and heat, and makes breathing smooth and comfortable.

3. Anti-cancer

The tannic acid contained in strawberries can effectively protect human tissues from carcinogens, thereby reducing the occurrence of cancer to a certain extent. Strawberries are rich in an antioxidant ingredient that can inhibit the precancerous lesions of esophageal cancer. Researchers pointed out that freeze-dried strawberries are particularly effective in preventing esophageal cancer because the effectiveness of the anti-cancer ingredients contained in strawberries increases nearly 10 times after the water is drained. Researchers have also found in previous studies on laboratory mice that freeze-dried strawberries can curb the development of esophageal tumors in laboratory mice.

4. Prevent and treat arteriosclerosis

Recently, medical scientists have discovered that regular consumption of strawberries is also beneficial for preventing and treating arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

5. Treat sore throat

According to records, drinking fresh strawberry juice can cure sore throat and hoarseness.

6. Refresh your mind

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron and nourish cells. Secondly, the strong and effective antioxidants in strawberries can effectively remove harmful free radicals in the human body. The natural anti-inflammatory ingredients they contain can reduce the number of free radicals produced, thereby slowing down aging and keeping brain cells active. All of these make strawberries have the function of improving symptoms such as depression, insomnia, and drowsiness, helping people to cheer up and drive away fatigue.

7. Promote digestion

Eating strawberries is extremely beneficial for indigestion, poor appetite, malnutrition or weakness and weight loss after illness. The pectin and cellulose contained in strawberries can promote gastrointestinal motility and improve constipation.

8. Cooling blood and detoxifying

There is a kind of wild ground ivy in the Guangzhou area. The locals mash its stems and leaves and use them to apply to treat sores, which is very effective. It is also effective for applying to snake bites, scalds, burns, etc.

9. Promote growth and development

The nutrients contained in strawberries can greatly promote the growth and development of children and are also beneficial to the health of the elderly.

10. Clear away heat and relieve summer heat

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that strawberries have the effects of removing fire, relieving heat and clearing away heat. People's liver fire is often more vigorous in spring, and eating some strawberries can have a suppressive effect.

11. Beauty and skin care

Strawberries can improve skin color, relieve diarrhea, and relieve diseases. Strawberry juice also has the effect of moisturizing and nourishing the skin. It can be used to make various high-end beauty creams, which have a significant effect on slowing down the appearance of wrinkles on the skin.

12. Freshen and strengthen teeth

Strawberries can also strengthen gums, freshen breath and moisturize the throat.

Medicinal value of strawberries

1. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that strawberry has great medicinal value. It tastes sweet and is cool in nature. It has the effects of relieving cough and clearing heat, relieving sore throat and promoting salivation, tending the spleen and stomach, and nourishing the blood.

2. Strawberries are rich in tannic acid, which can absorb and prevent the absorption of carcinogenic chemicals in the body and has an anti-cancer effect. The ellagic acid extracted from the roots, leaves and fruits of strawberries contains high anti-cancer activity and can effectively protect human tissues from carcinogens, thereby reducing the occurrence of cancer to a certain extent.

3. Strawberries have special effects in benefiting the heart and brain, and are of great significance in preventing and treating atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and cerebral hemorrhage.

4. Strawberries can prevent scurvy and are also effective in preventing and treating arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. The latest research has confirmed that strawberries have a very good effect on preventing and treating blood diseases such as leukemia and aplastic anemia. The main reason is that strawberries contain "strawberry amine" and "ellagic acid", both of which have the effect of inhibiting the occurrence and growth of malignant tumors.

Side effects and taboos of eating strawberries

First of all, do not buy deformed strawberries. Normally grown strawberries are heart-shaped in appearance, but some strawberries are bright in color and large in size, with deformed protrusions on the grains, and are hollow in the middle when bitten open. Such deformed berries are often caused by the abuse of hormones during the planting process. Long-term and large-scale consumption of such fruits may harm human health. Pregnant women and children in particular should not eat deformed berries.

In addition, since strawberries are low-stem plants, even though they are grown in plastic film, they are still easily contaminated by soil and bacteria during the growth process, so you must make sure to clean the strawberries before eating.

Third, it is best to eat strawberries after meals because they contain a lot of pectin and cellulose, which can promote gastrointestinal motility, help digestion, improve constipation, and prevent the occurrence of hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer.

In addition, many people like to cut strawberries into pieces and mix them with yogurt or milk for consumption. Experts point out that this is not reasonable from a nutritional point of view, because the ingredients in strawberries will affect the absorption of calcium in yogurt and milk, and will also reduce the absorption rate of milk protein.

How to eat strawberries

Strawberry Pudding

raw material:

400 grams of strawberries, 8 grams of jelly powder, 200 grams of cream cheese, 30 grams of powdered sugar, and a spoonful of lemon juice.

practice:

(1) Mash the strawberries into a large, non-flowing puree.

(2) Mix the strawberry puree and jelly powder and pour into a cup, about half full.

(3) Add lemon juice to the cream cheese and beat until smooth to get a refreshing and sweet lemon cheese.

(4) Add a large amount of lemon cheese on the solidified strawberry puree and refrigerate for half an hour. You will have a sweet strawberry pudding.

Strawberry Fruit and Vegetable Salad

Material:

1 apple, 1 pear, a few strawberries, 1 cucumber, 1 lettuce, and appropriate amounts of white vinegar, honey, and salad dressing.

practice:

(1) Wash, peel and dice the apples and pears. Pour a small amount of white vinegar over them to prevent them from oxidizing and turning black. Soak the strawberries in salt water and wash them for later use.

(2) Wash and chop the lettuce and place it on the bottom of a bowl. Wash and peel the cucumber, cut it into shreds and place it on top of the lettuce.

(3) Pour the apples, pears and white vinegar in the bowl onto the lettuce and cucumber, and finally place the beautiful strawberries on top.

(4) Drizzle honey on fruits and vegetables and mix well with salad dressing.

Delicious strawberry jam

Ingredients: Strawberries, white sugar, and rock sugar in appropriate amounts.

practice:

(1) Wash the strawberries.

(2) Wash and dry the strawberries, cut them into pieces, sprinkle with sugar, and marinate.

(3) Add rock sugar to the pickled strawberries and simmer over low heat.

(4) Simmer over low heat.

(5) Once the soup is done and cooled, you can bottle it.