February is Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month

Did you know that Florida is the second-largest strawberry producer in America?  In fact, our neighbor to the east, Plant City, is known as the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.” Because of our warm climate, growers in our state are able to harvest their berries from November until the end of March, while other U.S. production areas are dormant.

Florida berries are delicious AND packed with important nutrients – two great reasons to celebrate this fantastic crop! Today, Brevard Medical Equipment brings you 10 fun facts about this powerful little fruit.

• Strawberries are high in potassium, Vitamin K, and magnesium, which are all important for bone health.
• Eating eight strawberries a day has been shown to lower blood pressure and to have positive effects on memory and heart health.
• Strawberries are packed with antioxidants that can improve cholesterol and increase eye health, along with high levels of Vitamin C, which can boost immunity and help prevent cancer.
• You can dip your strawberries in dark chocolate for a double health treat, as dark chocolate has been shown to help keep white blood cells from sticking to blood vessel walls.
• Strawberries are picked at their full ripeness, unlike some other fruits, which don’t ripen until after they’re harvested.
• Strawberries are the only fruit that have their seeds on the outside! The average berry has about 200 seeds.
• A bit of balsamic vinegar, lemon, or orange juice can bring out the flavor of strawberries.
• Need a memory boost? The anthocyanins in strawberries have been shown to increase short term memory by 100 percent in eight weeks.
• Strawberries are high in fiber, and one cup of the fruit contains only 54 calories.
• Strawberries have a long history! Evidence that they grew wild in Italy has been found dating back to 234 B.C, and as early as 1300 A.D., the French began cultivating strawberries to use them medicinally.