Strawberry-the offering of spring: The nutritionists say it helps to reduce the risk of heart disease

News Desk: Spring brings back and restores the freshness of natural beauty around us: the revival of plants, flowers and fruits thus adding colour, beauty, fragrances to our surroundings – freshening and livening the atmosphere around us. The return of spring is also marks the return of new fruits, one of which is strawberry.

The red and heart-shaped juicy fruit relished by people of all ages adds to the attractiveness of fruit stalls and carts inevitably pulling the buyers in Islamabad.  There was a time when this beauty was imported from other countries and only available in tins.

However, now the fruit is being grown locally and available in abundance. Strawberries were first introduced in Pakistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but now these are being grown in various other parts of the country too.

According to the Fruit, Vegetables and Condiments Statistics of Pakistan for 2018-19, the total production of strawberries was 795 tones, grown over 387 hectares of land.

The fruit has a low shelf life and is available only for a short period of time. High demand and short availability makes it a high priced item. In the fruit markets such as Islamabad the price is hitting Rs 250 to 280 per kg, while in the local markets the price is Rs 300 to 400 per kg.

A PARC official said that four varieties of the strawberry   fruit were tested in Pakistan, but ‘chandler’ is the most commonly cultivated for commercial purposes. Picking and packing are the most important elements when it comes to the handling of strawberries.

Being a perishable item, the fruits are picked semi-ripe stage and packed in half to one kg baskets.

However, farmers due to lack of resources and technical knowledge overpack them. Strawberries are a soft fruit. Those placed in the lower layers and at the base or bottom get ruptured or damaged. Once they are ruptured, their shelf life further decreases, said the concerning official.

Talking about the preservation of this fruit, he added “Through calcium treatment it was possible to increase the life of strawberries, but it would only add 3 to 4 days at most.”

Yet, the information on the internet is full of different ways to preserve strawberries. One of the commonly employed methods is cutting strawberries into slices and freezing them in plastic bags. Another way suggested is to dry the strawberries.

The need is also to focus on how we can add value to the use and the consumption of strawberries, for example, making squash, jams, jellies and other products which are also very useful ways to preserve the fruit. Strawberries are consumed in various other forms as well, the most popular being juice, shakes, pickles, fruit chats, salad, ice-cream and cake toppings.

Strawberries carry many health benefits. A few nutritionists based in Islamabad said that strawberries contain antioxidants and vitamin C. “Some other health benefits of strawberries”, they said, “Strawberries prevent and lower the risk of heart disease.

They are useful for controlling blood sugar and also offer protection against certain cancers. Moreover, those conscious of their weight should also add strawberries to their diet. APP