It's currently strawberry season, but concerns arise along with it. Strawberries are getting bigger, and hollow strawberries are appearing. Everyone says these are strawberries treated with hormones. Is this really the case? How can we pick good strawberries? Let's find out together.
The Health Benefits of Strawberries
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, strawberries are considered sweet and sour in flavor, cool in nature, and affiliated with the lung and spleen meridians. They have the effects of moistening the lungs and generating fluids, strengthening the spleen, relieving summer heat, clearing heat, promoting urination, and quenching thirst. They are indicated for conditions such as wind-heat cough, sores in the mouth and on the tongue, swollen and sore throat, constipation, and high blood pressure. According to research by foreign medical scientists, strawberries contain anti-cancer components that can inhibit the growth of tumor cells. The carotene in strawberries is an important substance for synthesizing vitamin A and has the effect of improving vision and nourishing the liver.
Strawberries are very high in vitamin C. Vitamin C can prevent gum bleeding, promote wound healing, and make the skin delicate and elastic. Recent research has found that in addition to preventing scurvy, vitamin C also plays a positive role in preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, cerebral hemorrhage, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids.
More and more "unusually shaped" strawberries
There are more and more "unusually shaped" strawberries. The strawberries on the market now are none of the typical cone shape—some are flat and fan-shaped, some are shaped like a cockscomb, and others are several strawberries twisted together into an irregular shape.
The main reasons why strawberries on the market are getting larger are twofold: one is the improvement of varieties, and the other is the widespread adoption of scientific planting techniques such as flower and fruit thinning in recent years. In addition, sufficient fertilization, proper greenhouse temperatures, and some farmers using light-enhancing panels to increase light for strawberries to promote photosynthesis and nutrient synthesis are also reasons for the increase in strawberry size.
What factors affect strawberries becoming hollow?
First, it's the variety. "Benihoppe" strawberries are large, juicy, and sweet, and are not prone to being hollow. Varieties like "Akihime" and "Sweet Charlie" have a softer texture and are very red. Due to the low density of the pulp, the center of the fruit is relatively loose and may form a small cavity, so they are easily hollow.
Second, it's the supply of water and fertilizer. During the fruit growth period, if there is too much or too little water and nutrients, it can easily lead to inconsistent growth rates of different cells. The outer cells grow too fast, while the inner cells grow slower. When these are not in sync, the result is a hollow strawberry.
Third, it could also be due to the strawberries being overripe.
Fourth, it might be the use of growth hormones such as expanding agents. Expanding agents are plant growth regulators, also known as plant hormones, which make strawberries grow faster and larger. Strawberries treated with expanding agents become delicate due to the rapid growth of cell walls, will release water with a light touch, have poor color, a soft and mushy texture, and a hollow center.
However, eating these hormone-treated strawberries will not have an impact on human health, nor will they cause precocious puberty. Therefore, there is no need to worry about food safety issues.
So, how can we pick good strawberries?
One, look at the shape. Check the variety. Large strawberries are mostly cone-shaped. Be cautious if the shape is too strange. Do not buy deformed strawberries. Normally grown strawberries are heart-shaped in appearance, but some strawberries are bright in color and large, with deformed protrusions on the surface and a hollow center when bitten. These deformed strawberries are often caused by the misuse of hormones during the growing process, and long-term consumption of such fruits may harm human health. Pregnant women and children, in particular, should not eat deformed strawberries.
Two, look at the color. Hormone-treated strawberries have uneven coloring and poor luster, and at the base near the stem, the color is clearly divided between green and red. When picking, try to choose strawberries that are bright in color and have a luster. Hormone-treated strawberries have uneven coloring and poor luster, with a visible greenish-white color at the head of the strawberry, where the leaves are attached. The red color on some parts of the strawberry is too deep, while other parts are lighter. Good strawberries should have a uniform, bright red color. The sesame-like seeds (achenes) on the surface of normal strawberries are golden yellow. If even the seeds are bright red, you should be wary.
Three, test the texture. Gently press the strawberry. Choose ones that are firm and feel hard. Avoid buying strawberries that are too large or too watery. It's best to choose strawberries with a shiny surface and fine, small hairs.
Four, smell the aroma. Good strawberries have a light, fresh, and unique strawberry scent, with high sweetness that is evenly distributed. Hormone-treated strawberries taste bland and have no aroma. The taste of hormone-treated strawberries is strange or the strawberry flavor is particularly strong.
Five, weigh them. When buying strawberries, pay attention to the size and weight. Do not buy strawberries that are too large or too heavy, as they are often hormone-treated. Most of these hormone-treated strawberries are hollow when bitten. Strawberries with a moderate weight that feel lighter are better than heavier ones. Enjoy strawberries while they are fresh, and there are tricks to picking them. Good strawberries have a regular shape, a shiny surface, a deep color, and a firm, upright calyx. They leave a slight indentation when pressed gently. They have a fresh aroma, and a sweet and sour taste with plenty of juice are good strawberries.
You must be cautious with what you eat. Delicious strawberries require your "sharp eyes" to identify them.