Facts about Strawberries

Strawberries, the small red fruits clad in scarlet red, dotted with tiny seeds and wearing green little caps, make one of the most deliciously attractive fruits on Earth! Some believe that the name hailed from the practice of placing straws around the growing strawberry plants. Other say that the name evolved around 1000 years ago from the word, 'strew' that means 'spread', applicable to runners that spread outwards from the strawberry plants.

Here are some of the interesting facts about strawberries.

 

• Strawberries are not fruits. They are enlarged receptacles of the flowers.
• Strawberries are a member of the rose family.
• Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
• The average strawberry has 200 seeds.
• Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
• There is a museum in Belgium just for strawberries.
• The United States is the greatest producer of strawberries. California has around 700 strawberry growers and it produces strawberries on over 20,000 acres of land every year. Surprisingly the entire land of the USA is considered to be fertile for growing strawberries.
• Spain followed the United States in the list of strawberry producers worldwide.
• Ninety-four percent of US households consume strawberries.
• Americans eat 3.4 pounds of fresh strawberries each year plus another 1.8 pounds frozen per capita.
• Strawberries are low fat, low calorie; high in vitamin C, fibre, folic acid, potassium.
• Strawberries can reduce the risk of cancers and heart attacks.
• Italians call strawberries by the name ‘Fragola’
• Medieval stone masons carved strawberry designs on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals to symbolize righteousness.
• The English and the French used strawberries to landscape their gardens. In the 14th century, Charles V of France had ordered 1200 strawberry plants to be grown in the Royal Gardens.
• It is believed that Madame Tallien, an important person in Emperor Napoleon’s Court, used to bathe with the juice of fresh strawberries.
• Some people believe that strawberries are symbol of Venus (Goddess of Love) and newlyweds were served strawberries.
• It is believed that if you split a double strawberry in half and share it with the opposite sex, you’ll soon fall in love.
• A survey has also revealed that those who love strawberries are of a fun-loving nature while those who hate strawberries are weird morons.

So you love strawberries or not!