strawberries are different berries, although they are classified in the same family. In total, there are about 30 types of berries in nature
All about strawberries:
properties and composition, calorie content, benefits for women, men, and children, storage and preparation methods, recipes for desserts, and masks for face and hair in this article.
Strawberries and strawberries: the same thing?
Strawberries and strawberries are different berries, although they are classified in the same family. In total, there are about 30 types of berries in nature that are part of this genus. In common people, strawberries mean a meadow species. It grows only in forests, it is not artificially bred and it is not possible to buy it everywhere, so it is usually expensive. These berries look almost the same as strawberries, but 3-4 times smaller in size.
Strawberries familiar to us in the classification of berries are called pineapple strawberries, or garden strawberries. In the wild, it does not grow; it was specially bred from two other types of berries: Virginia and Chilean strawberries. In Russia, breeding work with this berry began about 100 years ago. The first variety was called Victoria. Around this period, other varieties of berries appeared, which we buy on the market now - resistant to our climate, with good taste.
Chemical composition and calorie content
The calorie content of the product per 100 grams is only 35 calories. Therefore, the berry can and should be eaten by losing weight. The chemical composition of strawberries is very diverse, it contains:
organic acids necessary for metabolic processes in the body;
cellulose. Helpful for normal digestion helps to remove toxins from the body;
antioxidants and vitamin C. Strengthen the cardiovascular system, relieve inflammation in the body;
vitamins of group B. Needed to optimize metabolic processes in the body, normalize the work of the hematopoietic system. They also take part in the work of the central nervous system and cognitive functions;
E vitamins are a natural antioxidant. It has a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle, which is important for supporting reproductive function;
calcium. Strengthens the bone apparatus, nails and hair. But an excessive amount of this element leads to the formation of salts. Need to dose!
sodium and magnesium. Needed for water balance in the body, contribute to the effective work of the heart;
phosphorus. Necessary for normal metabolism and cardiovascular function;
iron. This element is vital for the hematopoietic system;
zinc. Prevents inflammatory processes in the body.
Also, in small quantities, strawberries contain boron, copper, iodine, manganese, vitamin A and ascorbic acid. There is also salicylic acid in the berry, which is a natural antipyretic agent.
What are the benefits of berries?
The health benefits of strawberries are as follows:
strengthens the immune system - seasonal ARVI is not so scary with it;
has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties;
strawberries reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood;
the berry has low-calorie content, making it great for a losing weight person;
strawberry - a natural diuretic with gentle action;
berry helps to remove toxins and toxins from the body;
can be used as an external agent for the treatment of skin diseases, irritations. This is the benefit of a strawberry mask;
normalizes blood sugar levels, but diabetics need to use the berry carefully, be sure to consult a doctor.
Since fruits contain a large number of useful substances, they are used as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for many diseases.
Benefits for women
The benefits of strawberries for women are as follows: the berries contain flavonoids and antioxidants. These substances slow down the ageing process, reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Also, this berry is good for preventing the development of osteoporosis. Also, many women like to use strawberries for cosmetic purposes: as masks for the face, body and hair.
Benefits for men
The berry contains vitamins of group C and vitamins of group E. These components have a positive effect on the reproductive system and improve potency. Zinc prevents the development of inflammatory diseases in the prostate gland.
Eating berries during pregnancy
Eating strawberries is especially beneficial in the first trimester because they contain B vitamins and folic acid. These two substances are needed for the correct formation of the child's nervous system. Also, a berry is useful for a pregnant woman because it contains soft fibre, which has a positive effect on the work of the intestines, is a gentle diuretic but does not increase the load on the kidneys.
But the above positive properties do not yet mean that pregnant women need and can eat strawberries in kilograms. Excessive consumption of this berry can provoke an allergic reaction, which will negatively affect the child.
Eating strawberries while breastfeeding
Not all mothers can use strawberries during breastfeeding. The fact is that the red pigment of the berry can lead to a severe allergic reaction in a child. Nursing should start eating the berry gradually and only after the baby is 2 months old. At the same time, you need to monitor the reaction of the crumbs. If the slightest signs of an allergic reaction appear, strawberries are excluded from the diet until the end of lactation.
Strawberries in the diet of children
If the child does not have dermatitis and problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the berry can be introduced into the diet for 1 year. In all other cases, before starting to give strawberries, you need to consult with your doctor.
Even if there are no visible contraindications to the use of this product, you still need to start with small doses. You can literally give 1-2 berries and track the reaction throughout the day. If there are no allergic manifestations, then the child's body perceives the product well.
Is it possible to eat a berry while losing weight?
The benefits of strawberries for the body lie not only in a large number of beneficial properties but also in their low-calorie content. For 100 grams of fresh berries, there are 31 to 35 kcal. There is even a strawberry diet. But before using it, consult your doctor.
The essence of the diet is to eat up to 600 g of ripe strawberries every day. All dishes should be steamed or boiled, but harmful products will have to be completely abandoned. This diet must be maintained for up to 14 days, during which time it will take up to 5-6 kg of excess weight.
Large quantities of strawberries can cause inflammation of the stomach lining. Also, keep in mind that strawberries are mildly diuretic - which can be unsafe for kidney problems.
The benefits are not only in the berry: about the leaves
There are beneficial properties not only in fruits but also in strawberry leaves. The chemical composition of the leaves and rhizomes is such that it is often even more expedient to use them than the berries themselves. This is due to the fact that the bush part contains not only vitamins and minerals but also substances such as phytoncides - natural antibiotics. Phytoncides help well with inflammatory processes, have an antimicrobial effect.
the roots and leaves of strawberries remove toxic substances from the body, act as a choleretic agent;
the root part is used as a remedy for chronic fatigue;
leaves have wound healing properties.
You can use the leaf and root parts of the berry fresh and dried. You need to harvest raw materials in August and September. The process is simple: wash and dry the leaves naturally, just withering in the sun and leaving to dry in the open air, but in the shade. In winter, you can make teas and herbal teas from dried leaves, combining them with herbs and berries.
What to do with the tails?
"Ponytails" are often cut off and thrown away because they are considered useless waste. And this is wrong. Strawberry tails contain chlorophyll, which is beneficial for humans in that it purifies the blood and promotes the production of red blood cells. Red blood cells are responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood. Chlorophyll also stimulates the hematopoietic system, this helps to quickly get rid of toxic substances.
Ponytails can be used fresh or dried. The preparation is simple: the tails should be washed, dried, rolled in the sun and then dried naturally in the air or in a well-ventilated area. You can store the product in a glass jar in a dark dry place or in a craft bag.
In winter, a decoction of strawberry "tails" will be useful for the prevention of colds. It is prepared as follows: take 1 teaspoon of green tea, about 15 "tails" of strawberries, 2-3 berries of dried rose hips and pour 300 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 10 minutes, filter and drink slightly hot. You can add honey, but only in a warm broth. You cannot add honey to a hot liquid - this way it loses its beneficial properties.
What foods can you combine strawberries with?
Berry with cream
Since strawberries are low in calories, they can be combined with cream. Not everyone will understand this combination: a healthy berry and a fatty dairy product. But the logic is simple: strawberries contain a lot of carotenes, which is absorbed by the body only in combination with animal fats. Of course, it is more useful for the figure to take light cream.
Please note: strawberries contain oxalic and salicylic acids, which in large quantities provoke inflammatory processes in the joints. And the cream reduces the aggressiveness of these two elements.
Strawberries with milk
Here, as with cream: so that carotene, which is also called the vitamin of vision, is well absorbed, it is better to use it with natural fats. It is optimal to use milk by 2.5%.
Strawberries with sour cream or kefir
And again, the matter is in carotene, which is well absorbed only in tandem with fats of natural origin. So you can also eat strawberries with kefir or sour cream. But since sour cream is a high-fat product, it is better to take kefir - it is healthier and safer for the figure. Kefir can be replaced with natural yoghurt.
How to prepare
The season of this berry is short - only one summer month under good climatic conditions. And during this time you need to have time and enjoy the live berry and make preparations for the winter.
Frozen strawberries
This is the most common option: wash, dry and freeze in a chamber. This saves the maximum useful properties of the berry and thawed it can be used for anything: eat, put in baked goods, prepare compotes, cocktails, jam - there are a huge number of options.
Dried strawberries
It is not as healthy as fresh berries, but it is definitely better than frozen food from the supermarket, it is not known how many times. Dried strawberries retain many useful properties: they can be used for dietary purposes, as a component for making decoctions or teas for colds. In addition, dried berries are not so aggressive on the gastric mucosa.
The beneficial properties of dried strawberries are preserved for 2 years if stored properly. And so that the workpiece does not deteriorate, it should be kept in a dry glass jar in a dark place. Craft tight bags are also suitable for storage, but the place should be dry and well ventilated.
Strawberry jam
There are fewer useful properties in such a blank, but it does not become less popular from this. During heat treatment, vitamin C is destroyed, and other useful elements disappear altogether. The combination of berries with sugar also cannot be considered useful, because the sweet sand itself only harms the body.
There are alternative methods: when the strawberries are not boiled but poured over with syrup. Harmful sugar is still present, but more useful substances are stored in the berry itself because it is not thermally processed.
Compote
Compote is better than jam because fresh berries are not thermally processed, but simply canned. Here, nutrients are also stored much less than in dry freezing or drying, but there is no excess sugar.
Strawberries with sugar
The most useless preparation, because all the nutrients of the berry are killed by sugar. In tandem, sweet sand and acids, which are contained in strawberries, provoke pain in the joints and spine. A mixture of berries and sugar also causes increased flatulence, and for people with gastroenterological diseases, this is dangerous and can lead to an exacerbation of chronic processes.
The use of strawberries in cosmetology
The berry is widely used for cosmetic purposes: at home, masks and other caring and nourishing products for the skin are made with it.
Face mask recipes
Fresh strawberry masks are a great way to normalize oily and dry skin. If a woman has dry skin, then apply strawberry masks once a week for a month while the berry season is on. For those with oily skin, the frequency of procedures is 2 times a week for a month.
Mask for sensitive skin around the eyes. You need to take the yolk of a chicken egg, 3-4 berries, a little olive or almond oil. Mix all this to get a homogeneous gruel, and apply to the skin. Hold the mask for 15–20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. If the skin is dry, use a moisturizer.
Anti-age mask with whitening effect. Take a tablespoon of sour cream and mix it with 2-3 berries. It is better to do this in a blender so that the mass is homogeneous. Apply the resulting mixture on your face, hold for 15–20 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
Mask for dry flaky skin. You will need 3-4 large berries, one egg yolk, a tablespoon of crushed oatmeal and a tablespoon of olive oil. All this must be mixed well to get a homogeneous mixture, apply on the face and stand for 15–20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
A universal face mask is even easier to prepare: you need to take a few berries, grated fresh cucumber and mix it all in a puree. Apply the mass on your face, wait 15 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. You can apply a moisturizer.
The whitening effect will be if you wipe your face with strawberry juice. Alternatively, apply strawberry puree on the face, hold for 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water.
Regardless of which mask recipe will be used, remember the precautions. It is forbidden to apply such mixtures if the skin has cuts, insect bites, or other irritations. This is due to the fact that the acids contained in the berry provoke an even more inflammatory process.
It should not be forgotten that strawberries are a strong allergen. Before applying the mask to the entire face, test the composition on a small area of skin, for example, on the back of the hand. If no allergic reaction occurs within 24 hours, the mask is safe.
Hair masks
For oily hair, you will need several large berries, two egg yolks, two tablespoons of pharmaceutical blue clay, diluted to the consistency of sour cream. All this must be mixed well and applied to the hair roots. Put on a plastic cap on top and wrap a towel around your head. Hold the mask for 30 minutes, then rinse with shampoo. It is better not to dry with a hairdryer.
For dry hair, you will need warm kefir or natural yoghurt, mashed strawberries, two tablespoons of olive oil. The mass must be applied to the entire length of the hair and to the root part. Put on a plastic cap or bag on top, wrap it with a towel and hold it for about an hour, and then wash it off with shampoo. It is also better not to dry with a hairdryer.
Strawberry, banana and honey can be used to make a nourishing hair mask. All three components must be mixed well, so that there is gruel, and applied to the hair.
Contraindications
Only after agreement with the attending physician should strawberries be eaten by those who have gastroenterological diseases: ulcers, gastritis, colitis. With such diseases, fresh berries are prohibited, but jelly is allowed when there is no exacerbation of the disease. Beforehand, be sure to consult with your doctor. With care - hypertension, gout, arthritis, osteoporosis and other joint diseases.
People with an allergic reaction to red vegetables and fruits should not eat strawberries at all. It is not recommended to eat even those dishes that contain this berry.
Allergic symptoms
The first symptoms of an allergy may include the following:
A red rash over the body;
swelling;
coryza with clear discharge;
redness of the eyes;
sore throat, causeless cough;
shortness of breath.
Don't forget that strawberries are both health benefits and harms. It is important to eat it in moderation, and if there is any doubt, it is better to consult a doctor.
How to choose and store strawberries
Berries must be selected especially carefully if they are to be used for freezing or drying for the winter. A good strawberry should be bright or dark red in colour, with a green cap and tail. The aroma of the berry should be intense.
If the berry has a bright saturated colour, but there is no characteristic aroma, then, most likely, this is a greenhouse crop, there are few valuable substances in it. It makes no sense to buy such one because it is useless and can even be dangerous due to a large number of chemical fertilizers and growth additives. For consumption, it is better to buy a small number of berries in order to eat them in 1-2 days. If strawberries will still be stored in the refrigerator for some time, then it is better to wash them not immediately, but just before serving.
Should you freeze strawberries?
You can freeze it in dry freeze mode. This is done as follows: the berries are washed well, dried. If they will freeze entirely, then the tails do not need to be removed, because without them the strawberries quickly lose their shape.
Should you dry it?
Dried berries are no less useful than frozen ones. The procedure is simple: whole berries need to be well washed and dried, tails removed, cut into thin layers, which are then laid out on a baking sheet and dried in an oven or special dryer. It will take at least 3 hours for the strawberries to dry well at the lowest temperature.
You can dry the fruits in the open air, but then it will take more time - at least 3 days in dry sunny weather. To prevent insects from flying onto the strawberries, you can cover them with a gauze cut.
How much can you eat per day?
If there are no contraindications, then up to 500 g of strawberries can be eaten per day without harm to health. A large number of berries can provoke flatulence, fermentation in the stomach and an allergic reaction. It is not recommended to use it on an empty stomach, because it contains a lot of oxalic and salicylic acid, and it has a negative effect on the gastric mucosa. You don't need to eat strawberries before bed either. This is due to the fact that it has a diuretic and laxative effect.
What to cook: recipes for delicious strawberry dishes
Most often, strawberries are used for making desserts and baked goods. Although there are recipes where this berry is used for salads, soups, sauces and marinades for meat.
Jam preparation method
For one kilogram of berries, take a kilogram of sugar, 2 g of citric acid, about 3 tablespoons of water. The fruits need to be rinsed well, their tails should be cut off. After filling the berries with sugar and leave them overnight. In the morning, gently stir the berries so as not to choke. Add water mixed with citric acid there and cook over low heat until boiling. After boiling, leave for another 4-5 minutes. Let cool and pour into jars.
Canning compote
For the compote, you will need about 200 g of berries and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. First, you need to cover the strawberries with sugar and let them stand to let the juice flow. After that, pour a litre of water, bring to a boil and cook for another 5 minutes over low heat. Such compote can be drunk immediately, can be preserved.
Jelly making
It is prepared simply. You will need a litre of strawberry juice, 0.5 kg of sugar, 10 g of gelatin and 0.5 litres of water. First, you need to soak the gelatin (as written in the instructions). Add sugar and water to the juice and boil, and at the end add gelatin and stir thoroughly. The finished mixture is poured into moulds, allowed to cool slightly and placed in the refrigerator until completely solidified.
Making ice cream
Strawberry Ice Cream is an easy-to-make but delicious dessert. This will require about 300 g of strawberries, about 200 g of medium-fat cream, 100 ml of natural yoghurt, two tablespoons of powdered sugar, about 6 tablespoons of condensed milk.
Rinse the berries well, remove the tails and grind the pulp in a blender. Whisk the cream together with the icing sugar in a blender or mixer. Add berries, yoghurt and condensed milk to the resulting mixture, chop everything until smooth, pour into moulds and put in the freezer.
Making a smoothie
For the base, you need unsweetened natural low-fat yoghurt. You can add not only strawberries to it but also a banana, other berries, a teaspoon of honey. Beat all this in a blender, you can add a couple of ice cubes and a fresh mint leaf. This drink is not only tasty, but also very healthy, and the calorie content is low.
Jam preparation
Jam is more difficult to make than jam, but it is a delicious dessert. For preparation, you will need 0.5 kg of strawberries, 300 g of powdered sugar, 5 g of pectin, 3 g of agar-agar or gelatin, 1 g of citric acid. If you are concerned that the jam will turn out sugary, you can add a small pinch of cardamom.
Cooking process: chop the strawberries in a blender to make a homogeneous mass. The resulting gruel is placed in a saucepan, powdered sugar and all the spices listed above are added there, brought to a boil and cooked over low heat for no longer than 5 minutes. Since the process of hardening occurs almost immediately, the confiture must be started immediately to be poured into the jars.
Cooking marshmallows
Traditionally, marshmallow is made only from apples. But you can try to make it from strawberries. You will need a kilogram of whole ripe berries, 100 g of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. The berries must be well washed, dried, mashed and rubbed through a sieve so that there are no seeds. Add sugar to the gruel and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the candy is cooking, you need to preheat the oven to 100 degrees and cover the baking sheet with parchment. Hot jam is poured into a baking sheet (like frying pancake dough) and set to dry for 4-5 hours.
Cooking jam
To prepare strawberry jam, you will need 1 kg of berries and 0.5 kg of sugar. The berries need to be washed well, tails removed, dried and chopped in a blender. Add sugar to the gruel and cook. Bringing to a boil, remove the jam and pour it into jars.
Juicing
Everything is very simple here: the berries must be grated and squeezed through cheesecloth. The remaining cake does not need to be thrown away, you can make a marshmallow from it according to the above recipe.
Chocolate covered strawberries
For the preparation of the dessert, you will need 150 g of berries of the correct shape, 100 g of white and 100 g of dark chocolate, vegetable oil. Cooking process: wash and dry the berries well, do not remove the tails. Then they are laid out on a board and sent to cool in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. During this time, the chocolate is melted in a water bath.
Then they take a metal grate, grease it with oil. The oil is needed so that the berries do not stick. Take the strawberries out of the refrigerator, dip them in chocolate and place them on the wire rack. The rack with strawberries is placed in the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes until the chocolate is completely frozen.
Can animals eat strawberries?
If your dog or cat eats this, you can give, but not more than 1-2 berries per day, in no case greenhouse. If you are not sure about the quality of the fruit, then it is better not to carry out such experiments with pet food.
Interesting Facts
The yellow seeds on the fruits are nuts, and the pulp is a receptacle, the weight of which can exceed 200 grams. So strawberries are considered to be berries only in everyday life. On average, one fruit contains more than 200 of these small nuts.
More than one billion strawberries are harvested in California every year, and this figure is only gradually increasing.
