How did a strawberry get its name? Some believe that the name hailed from the practice of placing straws around the growing strawberry plants. Other say that the name evolved around 1000 years ago from the word, 'strew' that means 'spread', applicable to runners that spread outwards from the strawberry plants.
Strawberries belong to order Rosales, family Rosaceae and genus Fragaria. The word, 'fragaria' comes from the Latin word meaning fragrant. Italians call strawberries by the name ‘Fragola’. Interestingly, strawberries are not fruits. They are enlarged receptacles of the flowers and are hence known as a secondary fruit.
Strawberries are planted during the months of September and October. Strawberry plants are handpicked after every three days. This is the time required for a strawberry to change its color from white to red. On picking, they are cooled and delivered to the markets in refrigeration.
Strawberry is the only berry that has seeds on its external surface. The other berries have seeds inside. A single strawberry has 200 tiny seeds. They are also the first ones to ripen in spring.
Strawberries are low in fat content and calorie. They are rich in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid as well as potassium. They can reduce the risk of cancers and heart attacks. Strawberry intake helps in the reduction of systolic blood pressure. Fresh juice from strawberry pulp helps in recovering from fever. Strawberry juice, if combined with honey can reduce inflammation. It has a curative effect on sunburns.
Originally, strawberries were known as heart-seed berries and eaten with cornmeal bread. The English and the French used strawberries to landscape their gardens. In the 14th century, Charles V of France had ordered 1200 strawberry plants to be grown in the Royal Gardens. It is said that Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII had a strawberry birthmark on her neck. It is believed that Madame Tallien, an important person in Emperor Napoleon’s Court, used to bathe with the juice of fresh strawberries.
Strawberries have since long been associated with love. Some consider strawberries as a symbol of Venice, the Goddess of Love. During the olden days, newlyweds were served strawberries. During the medieval times, strawberry designs were painted on altars and pillars of churches to symbolize righteousness. Some believe that on splitting a double strawberry into two and sharing it with the opposite sex may lead you to fall in love with him/her! A recent survey has revealed that those who love strawberries are of a fun-loving nature while those who hate strawberries are weird morons.