Strawberries
Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring. They are the most popular berry in the United States. There are 200 tiny seeds on every strawberry. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside.
Strawberries grew wild in Italy as long ago as 234 B.C. Folk lore states that if you split a double strawberry in half and share it with the opposite sex, you’ll soon fall in love.
Strawberries are low fat, low calorie; high in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and potassium. Strawberries can help reduce the risk of cancer & heart attacks. The ancient Romans believed that strawberries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, fainting, all inflammations, fevers, throat infections, kidney stones, bad breath, attacks of gout, and diseases of the blood, liver and spleen.
The strawberry you eat is not really a fruit or a berry but is the enlarged receptacle of the flower. Native American Indians called strawberries "heart-seed berries" and pounded them into their traditional corn-meal bread. Discovering the great taste of the Native Americans bread, colonists decided to create their own version, which became an American favorite that we all know and love ... Strawberry Shortcake.
