The sweet and sour taste, the refreshing fragrance, strawberries are already on the market in early spring. Because of their high nutritional value and suitability for spring health preservation, they are hailed by nutritionists as the "first fruit of spring."
A chief physician from the Nutrition Department at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, told reporters that the Compendium of Materia Medica records that strawberries can moisten the lungs, strengthen the spleen, nourish the blood, and replenish qi. For the elderly, children, and those with weak constitutions, they are an excellent tonic. The nutritional ratio of strawberries is very well-balanced; their vitamin C content is about 10 times that of an equivalent amount of watermelon, grapes, or apples. Additionally, strawberries are rich in iron, fructose, glucose, citric acid, malic acid, and more. For common spring ailments such as lung-heat cough, sore throat, and boils, the nutrients in strawberries can play a supportive therapeutic role. At the same time, due to their iron content, friends with anemia can also eat them often.
However, the doctor also reminds that although strawberries are a great appetizer, they are cool in nature. Therefore, in early spring, one should not eat too many at once, especially those with a weak spleen and stomach, who are prone to diarrhea, or have excess stomach acid. People in these groups should be especially mindful of their portion size when eating strawberries. Furthermore, people with a cold cough (producing white phlegm) should not eat strawberries.
Additionally, many people like to cut strawberries into pieces and mix them with yogurt or milk. "From a nutritional perspective, this is not advisable," the doctor said. "Components in strawberries can affect the absorption of calcium in yogurt and milk, and also reduce the absorption rate of milk protein."
Cleaning strawberries is a headache for many housewives. Rinsing with water alone may not be thorough enough, and scrubbing with a brush can easily damage the skin, which might instead transfer dirt from the brush onto the flesh. The recommended method is to first soak them in light salt water for 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water before eating. "This is because the disinfecting effect of salt water is stronger than many people realize and is sufficient to clean the strawberries."