Strawberries are among the most beloved of fruits. They're emblematic of bright and cheery summertime days, and they're surprisingly versatile. Who doesn't love sinking their teeth into a humongous chocolate strawberry? Coat them with dark chocolate, white chocolate, almonds and whatever else you like. Hand-dipped strawberries are irresistible no matter what, but they're also a very unique fruit for many other reasons. There's a lot about strawberries that you might not know. Here are some of our favorite facts:
- Did you know that strawberries are the only fruit that have their seeds on the outside? Those tiny little flecks are future strawberries, provided you don't chomp them down first. And if you're looking to start your own garden, you only really need one piece of fruit to get going. The average strawberry has a whopping 200 seeds!
- These plants are also quite historically significant, believe it or not. The ancient Romans put a lot of stock into the little guys - they believed that strawberries helped alleviate symptoms of melancholy, inflammation, fainting, fevers, blood disease, and pretty much any other ailment you could think of. Medieval stone masons used to carve strawberry designs on their altars and all around the tops of cathedrals and churches as a symbol of perfection and righteousness.
- Some parts of Bavaria still use strawberries in their rituals. During the spring (strawberries are also the first fruit to ripen), they would tie small baskets of them to the horns of cattle and send them into the woods. It's believed that elves prefer strawberries above all other fruits and that offering them will in turn yield healthy calves and an abundant supply of milk in the near future.
- Back at home, strawberries are eaten by 94 percent of Americans! The average U.S. resident eats about 3.4 pounds of fresh strawberries a year and an additional 1.8 pounds of the frozen stuff. More than half of kids between ages seven and nine listed strawberries as their favorite fruit, so give them a shot if you've got a picky eater at home.
- There are so many fascinating facts about these little guys that we could go on forever, but we think you get the drift. Strawberries have been a rich part of our lives for quite some time, and anyone who's ever had one can understand why.
What are your favorite things about strawberries? Tell us below!
