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| STRAWBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES. |
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| INTRODUCTION |
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ORIGIN AND VARIETIES
The ancestress of the strawberry that is consumed in Europe is American. The strawberry that we know at present was introduced in Europe by the first colonists of Virginia (United States). With the arrival of the strawberry of Virginia in the XIXth century, there were obtained new varieties that won in size and lost in flavor. Later crossings were realized between this one and a Chilean variety, what the scales fitted, obtaining a big and tasty strawberry. In Spain, the province of Huelva is the most specializing in the cultivation of strawberries and strawberries. The advantages of this area enjoy world recognition. At present, the from Huelva strawberry production represents more than 65 % of the national volume. The region of the Maresme, which belongs to Barcelona, and Valencia and Extremadura other national regions are with important strawberry beds. France and Germany are the principal clients and the United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Austria demand also this early strawberry and of high quality. Other producing countries are Italy, Israel and the United States.
Nowadays, nevertheless, most commercialized there are strawberries of intensive cultivation that with the help of hothouses manage to have presence the whole year on the market of our country. The strawberry is considered to be a type of strawberry of major size, with form of heart and of living red color when it is mature.
 More outstanding varieties:
is the variety of predominant strawberry on the Spanish market. There are tiny fruits of whitish red color to red brilliant, with succulent pulp of sweet flavor and aromatic.
the variety of major cultivation of strawberry. This big fruit of Californian origin is very precocious, of extremely brilliant color and of good flavor and steadfastness.
are big, aromatic, elongated strawberries, of intense red color, so much day pupil as internally.
strawberry of Californian origin, with the disadvantage of which it has tendency to the quitter. It is of orange red color, with form of flattened wedge, thick caliber and good flavor.
is a strawberry of perfect conical form, uniform caliber and brilliant red color. His flavor is sugary.
very vigorous variety of strawberry, capable of adapting itself to all kinds of soils and climates. It is of soft red color and of big size.
are strawberries of rounded form, flattened by the stem and of dull red color.
is a variety that gives strawberries with conical, firm form, of consistent pulp and uniform and brilliant red color. This is, possibly, the variety with better flavor of all the commercialized ones.
are considered to be the summer strawberries, since they usually appear on the market in the middle of July and last till the end of September.
HIS BEST EPOCH
According to the varieties, the strawberry beds bloom from winter ends up to summer beginning, therefore the fruits mature during the whole spring and good brought in the summer; from March until July. These fruits detach an unmistakable perfume when they are in his ideal point of consumption that they make recognizable to them over a distance. The heat, the transport and the moisture are his biggest enemies, deteriorating with supreme facility due to his delicate, tender and slightly consistent structure.
CHARACTERISTICS
 of conical form to almost round, according to the variety.
 the strawberries are calibrated measuring his diameter. The most commercialized calibers go from the 18 to 22 millimeters or more, being the strawberries of minor size. The strawberries have a 25 grams approximate weight.
 red brilliant or red orange, according to the cultivation variety.
 present a perfumed, juicy and buttery meat, which comes undone in the mouth to the minimal pressure, with a flavor that changes of acid to very sweet. What more it characterizes to these fruits is his intense aroma, capable of impregnating with his penetrating perfume, several meters to the region.
HOW TO CHOOSE IT AND TO PRESERVE IT
At the time of choosing the strawberries and strawberries, it is necessary to insure itself that should be thick, brilliant fruits and fresh appearance, since it is very delicate and perishable food. It is not necessary to allow to influence for the fact that they weigh little or because the ends of his stems are clearer. They must be bought by the intact stems and do not have to move back until they have washed themselves to improve his conservation.
They survive better if they keep in the refrigerator or in a fresh, dark and drafty place, as merry as possible in a source or dinner plate. Under these circumstances they can survive up to 4-5 days, if they are not very mature.
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Composition for 100 grams of eatable portion |
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Calories |
34,5 |
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Carbohydrates (g) |
7 |
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Fibre (g) |
2,2 |
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Potassium (mg) |
150 |
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Magnesium (mg) |
13 |
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Calcium (mg) |
30 |
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Vitamin C (mg) |
60 |
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Folatos (mcg) |
62 |
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Vitamin And (mg) |
0,2 |
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| mcg = micrograms |
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NOURISHING PROPERTIES
The strawberries and the strawberries are fruits that contribute few calories and whose more abundant component, after the water, there are the carbohydrates (fructose, glucose and xilitol). He emphasizes his contribution of fibre, which improves the intestinal transit. As for other nutrients and organic compounds, the strawberries and the strawberries are a very good vitamin source C and citric acid (of action disinfectant and alcalinizadora of the urine, it promotes the action of the vitamin C), acid salicílico (of anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant action), malic acid and oxálico, potassium and in minor proportion they contain vitamin E, that intervenes in the stability of the blood cells and in the fertility. The vitamin C has antirust action, as the vitamin E and the (antocianos) flavonoides, vegetable pigments that award to these fruits his typical color. The vitamin C intervenes in the formation of collagen, bones and teeth, red globules and favors the absorption of the iron of the food and the resistance to the infections. The acid fólico intervenes in the production of red and white globules, in the material synthesis genetically and the formation antibodies of the immune system. The potassium is necessary for the transmission and generation of the nervous impulse, for the normal muscular activity and it intervenes in the water balance inside and out of the cell.
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