You know what day it is?

That’s right. National Strawberry Day.

Strawberries are one of my favorite fruits. I love a juicy, ripe strawberry that’s been freshly picked. I’ve never met a juicy strawberry I didn’t like. 🙂

Strawberry Facts

They are full of antioxidants.
Nutrition information: good source of Vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber, and manganese.
How it gets its name–there’s one legend (out of several) that states that back in the nineteenth century, strawberries got their name from English children who strung strawberries on grass straws and sold them as “straws of berries“.
Madame Tallien, a member of Napoleon’s court, bathed in the juice from strawberries. She used twenty-two pounds per basin!
The American Indians introduced the Colonists to strawberries. They taught them to mix it into their cornbread meal. After trying that, they soon developed a recipe for strawberry shortcake.
Strawberries are in the rose family.
The strawberry is the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
Strawberry juice and honey will help reduce inflammation and sunburns.
After a strawberry is picked, it does not continue to ripen. So make sure you pick them only when ripe!
Eight medium-sized strawberries contain 140% of the RDA of Vitamin C per day.
Eating strawberries can decrease muscle fatigue.
A test study showed that those who ate strawberries before exercising lost 100 more calories than those who didn’t. Awesome!

Recipes

I love using strawberries to make yummy food. Here are some of my favorites:

Strawberries and Pound cake
Find a yummy recipe for pound cake (or buy one) and top with fresh, ripe strawberries. Top it off with some fresh cream, and it’s a tasty, low-calorie treat!

Strawberry Trifle
Uses the same ingredients as above, but diced and cubed and arranged in a bowl.

Strawberry Limeade
3 cups sliced strawberries1 cup sugar (or if diabetic, Stevia can easily be used instead)
4 c. cold water
2/3 c. fresh lime juice

Mix strawberries and sugar, then crush strawberries and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Blend strawberry mix then strain the liquid through a mesh strainer and throw out pulp. Add the cold water and lime juice, and stir. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

Sources:

http://www.pickyourown.org/strawberryfacts.htm
http://londonstrawberryfestival.com/facts.htm
http://www.temeculavalleystrawberryfarms.com/fun-facts-about-strawberries