About Those Strawberries !
Nutritional Information:
Besides being delicious, strawberries are packed with nutrition.
One (1) cup of berries has the following:
- 134 mg of Vitamin C (100% U.S.RDA)
- 50 mg of Calcium
- 90 International units Vitamin A
- 363 mg of Potassium
- 52 mg of Phosphorus
- Almost Zero Saturated fats (1 gram)
- Just a trace of Cholesterol
- Zero Sodium
- Starch (1 gram)
- Only 55 calories per cup
Good berries at home start with proper picking.
- Pick only bright red fruit. Berries do not become sweeter after they are picked.
- Pick all sizes, large and small (the smaller ones are usually sweeter with less water content).
- Keep stems on when picking to help maintain freshness and flavor. Handle berries gently, they are very perishable.
- Place flag where you finish picking, thus eliminating picking the same area twice.
- Have fun while picking, and enjoy the country atmosphere.
Here are some suggestions to ensure good berries at home:
- Strawberries are delicate -handle with care. Do not leave berries in a hot car.
- Store the sorted, unwashed berries in the refrigerator, preferably in a shallow dish covered with waxed paper or plastic wrap,
- For best quality use as soon as possible. Store no longer than 2 days.
- When ready to use, wash and sort berries before removing caps. Removing caps before storing
will reduce flavor, texture and nutrient quality. - Freeze as quickly as possible. Berries may be frozen whole, sliced or crushed. Jams and jellies may be prepared later using the frozen berries.
