strawberry

Strawberries are a fragrant, red-coloured, ground-dwelling fruit. Their history dates back over 2,000 years with records showing a variety of breeds as a native in many parts of the world. The modern strawberry is just one of hundreds of varieties cultivated worldwide. There are also about 20 wild species. They all have different properties - visible in the size, shape and colour of the fruit, or the size and abundance of flowers.

In the early 18th century a strawberry hybrid was created that took its size from a South American variety and its taste and fragrance from France. This created what it is known today as the common strawberry that is preferred throughout Europe.

The strawberry is often described as a luxury item, enjoyed by royalty. France's King Charles V had over 3000 planted at the Louvre in Paris, King Louis XIII ate them everyday; and both Louis XIII and Louis XIV the latter enjoyed the berries so much that they are recorded to have eaten them to the point of indigestion!

The use of strawberries and of the strawberry plant itself for therapeutic purposes dates back as long as they have been eaten. American Indians prepared infusions of strawberry plant leaves as a treatment for stomachache and gastrointestinal ailments such as diarrhoea. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus was convinced that strawberries had miraculously healed his severe attack of gout; and the French philosopher Bernard de Fontenelle, who died at the age of 100 attributed the secret of his longevity to strawberries.

Strawberries contain a large amount of antioxidant, anticancer, anti-neurodegenerative, and anti-inflammatory properties, making them, like many other berries, very useful as a natural alternative to western medicine.

The wild ancestors of the most commonly cultivated strawberry today, Fragaria ananassa, can be white, yellow, taste like pineapples, or the stalks can even point the fruit towards the sun. The Institute of Food Research (IFR) says it will study both wild and cultivated varieties, and is currently growing white and pale yellow strawberries as well as red.

Strawberries are an excellent source of dietary fiber and Vitamins C and K. They are a very good source of manganese, pantothenic acid, vitamin B1, and iodine. They are a good source of folic acid, biotin, and vitamin B6. Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidants, which can decrease the risk of chronic disease.

One of the strawberry chemicals that may play a role against cancer is ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is a phytochemical compound found in berries that is probably the phytochemical most likely to interfere with the development of cancer. Ellagic acid is present in many red fruits and berries, including raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and cranberries. Strawberries and raspberries are the main dietary source of ellagic acid in the west. At first glance, raspberries appear to have more ellagic acid than strawberries; however, the compound in raspberries is mainly contained in the seeds, whereby within the strawberry, the ellagic acid is found in the main pulp of the berry, making it more accessible.

Research by Dr Yannick Ford at Horticulture Research International has highlighted the variation in ellagic acid content between varieties, with some white-fruited strawberries having particularly high levels. Studies have shown that strawberry consumption can increase anti-cancer activity on cancer cells of the breast, oesophagus, skin, colon, prostate and pancreas. More specifically, ellagic acid prevents the destruction of P53 gene by cancer cells. Ellagic acid can also bind with cancer causing molecules, thereby making them inactive. Strawberries have also been shown to significantly reduce liver cancer cells.




Anny


references
http://www.elements4health.com/strawberries.html
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Strawberry-anti-cancer-compounds-under-microscope
http://hubpages.com/hub/STRAWBERRIES-ANOTHER-ANTI-CANCER-FOOD