A ripe strawberry, freshly bitten!

“Why” you ask am I writing to you about Strawberries? Well, I probably haven’t eaten one in years and just this week I ate a bowl and realized what a tasty and yet peculiar fruit this is (especially after photographing it from every angle!). So here are some fun and interesting facts about the Strawberry you may not have known:

1. The average strawberry has 200 seeds.
2. Strawberries are a member of the rose family.
3. There is a museum in Belgium just for strawberries.
4. In medieval times, strawberries were served at important functions to bring peace & prosperity.
5. Eight medium-sized strawberries contain 140% of the U.S. RDA for Vitamin C.
6. The strawberry is not classified by botanists as a true berry. True berries, such as blueberries and cranberries have seeds inside. The strawberry, however has its dry, yellow “seeds” on the outside (each of which is actually considered a separate fruit).
7. Eating strawberries, which are rich in nitrate, can increase the flow of blood & oxygen to the muscles by 7%.  This prevents muscle fatigue, making exercise easier.
8. If you’re expecting a baby, 8 strawberries have 20% of the folic acid you need every day.
9. One cup of strawberries contains 45 calories.
10. Strawberries should have a potent fragrance. Those without it generally are not ripe and strawberries do not ripen after harvesting.