JenniferM | On 23, Jan 2012

I was just reading over my garden planting calendar for 2012 and saw that March 21st is the day to plant strawberry plants in my area.  I just love strawberries (especially wild strawberries) and I just cannot wait until they come in season!  I love to eat them straight off the plant, but also my mom and mother-in-law always make the best jams with fresh strawberries and although frozen will do in a pinch, the best fruit smoothies are made with fresh strawberries.  Strawberries are very, very nutritious, which makes me glad they’re at the top of my list of favorite fruits.

Strawberry Nutrition

For you calorie-conscious folks, strawberries are very low in calories.  According to Nutrition Data, the calories in strawberries only amounts to 49 calories per 1 cup serving of strawberry halves.

Did you know that one cup of strawberry halves has more vitamin C than one orange?   One cup of strawberry halves has 149% DV of vitamin C, while an orange has 106%.

Strawberries are also a good source of:

• Vitamins B2, B5, B6, and K
• Folate
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Copper
• Phosphorus
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Strawberries also Strawberries also contain trace amounts of vitamin E, iron, zinc, and selenium.

How to Eat More Strawberries

While strawberries make a tasty snack all on their own, you can use strawberries a variety of ways, including:

• In fruit salad or as an ingredient in a fruit smoothie
• Sliced and added to mixed green salads
• Mixed with plain or low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese
• Topping for hot or cold breakfast cereals
• Used as an ingredient in pancakes, waffles or muffins

Do you need some clean eating recipes that include strawberries?  Try some of these:

Berry Sauce — forget “Hershey’s Strawberry Syrup,” try Lisa’s sauce instead!

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Raw Cheesecake Bites

Very Berry Smoothie

Strawberry Shortcake