8 reasons why we love...strawberries

It's time to get into the Wimbledon spirit and tuck into a bowl of these health-boosting summer berries.

1. They can cure our joint ills
There's a popular myth that anyone with arthiritis should avoid strawberries because they're acidic. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, strawberries are probably the tastiest treatment you can imagine for this painful condition because they have an amazing ability to increase the body's elimination of uric acid, a substance that's highly irritaing to painful imflamed joints.

2. They have more vitamin C than oranges.
In fact, 100g of strawberries provides almost twice our daily requirement of this important Actioxidant. They also contain modest amounts of iron, and due to the high levels of high vitamin C, this is well-absorbed, making them a good remedy for anaemia and exhaustion.

3. They keep our hearts healthy.
Strawberries are an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fibre that helps eliminate cholesterol. Combined with their high content of antioxidants this makes them a valuable weapon against heart and circulatory disease.

4. They're a great beauty aid
Strawberries make excellent skin cleansers as they're very gentle. Blend the juice of one fresh strawberry with a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and a drop of lavender essential oil. Dampen your face with warm water and massage the mixture into your skin for one minute. Rinse well with warm water.

5. They fight cancer
Research has shown that natural plant chemicals in strawberries could inhibit the growth of cancer cells. A high content of ellagic acid, a naturally occuring antimutagen and anticarcinogen, is a special feature of the strawberry - in fact, strawberries and raspberries are our main dietary sources of ellagic acid in the West. According to a study by Dr Yannick Ford at Horticulture Research International, the content of ellagic acid varies between varieties, with some white fruited strawberries having particularly high levels.

6. For their versatility
Forget boring old sugar and cream and wake up to the culinary versatility of this amazing fruit. Strawberries make a wonderful addition to almost any smoothie and like all soft fruits, can be frozen and enjoyed all year round. You can also use them in recipes, savoury dishes included. What about combining them with chillies, garlic, red onion and herbs to make a seasonal salsa, perfect with ham, pork or any gammon. Or what about a lunch of strawberry sandwich, complete with cream cheese, parma ham, fresh mint and balsamic vinegar.

7. Because our kids love them
In a survey, over 53% of seven to nine year olds chose strawberries as their favourite fruit - a fact we shouldn't ignore in light of all the worrying statistics that have been released regarding our children's poor diets. Even the fussiest of eaters can often be persuaded to tuck into a bowl of strawberries, especially if they took part in harvesting the fruit themselves. In fact pick-your-own farms are springing up all over the countryside and many offer superb facilities for family outings.

8. Becuase they help us lose weight.
While being in nutrients, strawberries contain only 45 calories per serving, making them an ideal treat for slimmers. However many people smother this wonderfully sweet and fragrant fruit with white refined sugar and artery clogging cream, turning what should be a nutrition boost into a health nightmare. Eat them as nature intended, or try sprinkling them with freshly ground black pepper (the heat of the pepper draws out the maximum flavour from the berries). If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you could even use balsamic vinegar instead of sugar. A dollop of low fat creme fraiche will satisfy those who can't bear the idea of their strawberries without cream.

July 2004