LET’S TALK STRAWBERRIES

Let’s play a word association game. I say “strawberry”—now you say… Is it “and cream”? Or perhaps “shortcake”? Maybe “jam,” “love,” or even “Wimbledon”? Strawberries and cream have been served to spectators at the Wimbledon tennis tournament since 1877. I’ll wager all your associations are positive and even delightful. The hit song Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles evokes imagination and nostalgia. Strawberries frequently appear in literature as symbols of innocence and joy, and strawberry motifs in marketing often represent freshness and youth. Their heart shape and vibrant red colour have long symbolised love and sensuality. In Ancient Rome, strawberries were associated with Venus, the goddess of love. There’s a lot to love about strawberries—and here are even more reasons why.

Origins and cultivation

Wild varieties of strawberries have been eaten across Europe, Asia, and the Americas for thousands of years. The modern cultivated strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, was developed in 18th-century France as a hybrid of the tiny but flavoursome North American species and the larger, milder variety from Chile. Today, all commercially grown strawberries—of which there are around 1,000 cultivars—descend from this hybrid. Ongoing research continues to improve this remarkable fruit: enhancing its adaptability to different climates, increasing yields, improving flavour and colour, boosting disease resistance, reducing pesticide use, and even enriching antioxidant content.

A rose by another name?

Strawberries belong to the botanical Rosaceae family, making them cousins of the rose. Despite their name, strawberries are not true berries but rather aggregate fruits. They are the only fruits with seeds on the outside. Fragile and highly perishable, strawberries require careful handling from farm to table to maintain their quality. If you grow them at home, you’ll know the fruit must be kept off the ground to prevent rotting. Birds and other furry creatures also adore strawberries, so protecting your patch is essential.

Kitchen tips

Once in your kitchen, strawberries are delightful eaten fresh or in a fruit salad—and best enjoyed within a few days. To store them, keep them dry and cold in the fridge. Lay them out flat and uncrowded on absorbent paper. If they become soft or overripe, don’t throw them away—waste not! Add them to a smoothie, or chop and cook them with a little sugar to make a delicious compote or sauce. Serve with yoghurt or ice cream, spoon over breakfast cereal, mix with cooked apple or pear for a crumble, or fold into muffin batter for strawberry muffins. For a South-East Asian twist, combine with chia seeds and coconut milk and let set overnight for a satisfying chia pudding.

Nutritional highlights

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, with one cup providing 180% of the recommended daily intake. They’re also high in folate, a B-vitamin essential for heart health and pregnancy. Additionally, they offer dietary fibre for digestive health and potassium for better blood pressure regulation. Like other berries, strawberries are low in natural sugars and kilojoules but packed with beneficial flavonoid antioxidants. With a low glycemic index (GI) of 40 and a low glycemic load (GL) of just 3 g per 150g (1 cup), strawberries are a smart choice for blood glucose management—making them ideal for diabetes prevention and care.

Strawberries: Nutrition information per serving (150 g (1 cup))