Eat More Strawberries By Janice Pyka, Account Executive, MinuteBids
Everyone knows that strawberries are delicious. Did you know that strawberries are a low-calorie nutritional powerhouse? In Minnesota, strawberries peak at the end of June and into July. Keep in mind that crops are ready at various times of the month depending on the part of the state you are located. Select plump, firm, fully red berries. In the photo at right, small berries are often most flavorful. Only the berry on the far right is completely ripe. • One cup of strawberries contains only 43 calories. • Unripe berries will not ripen once picked • U-pick strawberries are much healthier than store-bought. Several sources, including Consumer Reports, recommend purchasing organic berries to avoid pesticide residue. • They help to lower blood pressure and curb overeating. • This fruit is full of antioxidants, which strengthen your ability to fight infections and disease. • The phenols in strawberries also fight against many inflammatory disorders. • One cup of this super fruit contains a whopping 136% of the RDA of Vitamin C. • Do the math and be careful not to overpurchase as strawberries quickly mold when left at room temperature, and only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
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Minnesota Communit y Living
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Don’t wash the berries until you’re ready to eat them. You can easily freeze berries that you cannot eat right away — just wash, cut the hulls off and pop them into a Ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible. Always call before you go to the farm — o Strawberries are affected by weather; o When they are in season, a large turnout can pick a field clean before noon; try to go during the week. o Some farms charge a fee for the picking containers, and don’t heap the container more than 5 inches deep as the berries will bruise. Remember to bring water to drink while picking your strawberries. http://www.pickyourown.org/MN.htm to locate strawberry farms in your area.
Happy Picking!