Although not a popular fruit in Nigeria, its flavour is quite known to children and adult.
The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry) is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus Fragaria (collectively known as the strawberries). It is cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The fruit (which is not a botanical berry, but an aggregate accessory fruit) is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red colour, juicy texture, and sweetness.
It is consumed in large quantities, either fresh or in such prepared foods as preserves, fruit juice, pies, ice creams, milkshakes, and chocolates. Artificial strawberry aroma is also widely used in many industrial food products.
In addition to being consumed fresh, strawberries can be frozen, made into preserves, as well as dried and used in prepared foods, such as cereal bars. Strawberries and strawberry flavourings are a popular addition to dairy products, such as strawberry-flavoured milk, strawberry ice cream, strawberry milkshakes, strawberry smoothies and strawberry yogurts.
Strawberries contain fisetin, an antioxidant that has been studied in relation to Alzheimer’s disease and to kidney failure resulting from diabetes. Strawberries are the fruit that contains the highest amount of this antioxidant. Fisetin lessens the complications of diabetes. Strawberries can also help with heart disease and strokes. Strawberries have a dark skin that has many antioxidants that help with heart disease.
If you want a delicious drink or casual dessert that is healthy, nutritious and quite filling, try blending strawberries without adding sugar or any other fruit or flavour and simply enjoy.
Here’s how to make a simple strawberry milkshake.
Ingredients
Whole milk
Fresh or thawed frozen sweetened strawberries
High quality vanilla ice cream
Method of preparation
Wash, hull and chop the strawberries. Reserve a few for garnishing.
Add milk, strawberries and ice cream to a blender.
Blend the ingredients until you’ve made a cool and creamy mixture. If you like your milkshake to be a bit chunkier, you can blend it for a bit less time. If you’d like it to be smoother, then you can blend it for more time.
Garnish with strawberries and enjoy.
• Note
Some people don’t like strawberries because of its slightly sour taste, but it can be combined in different ways so you enjoy the best the fruit has to offer.
