Boston Mamas: Strawberries & Rhubarb

There’s a lot to love about summer, and we're especially keen on the arrival of vibrant, seasonal fruit (Laurel can make disturbingly quick work of a big bowl of summer strawberries.) Today, Sara Cabot shares some good facts about strawberries and rhubarb, as well as her recipe for English Rhubarb Crumble:

Strawberries

Hurray – strawberries are here! OK, they’re from California and look like they’ve been given steroids, but they remind us of the smaller, sweeter local strawberries that will follow soon.

Here are some facts about strawberries:

Full of fight (phyte...): Strawberries are very good for you, being rich in phytonutrients which help ward off disease. This is true of all deep red or purple-hued berries and vegetables like blueberries and so on;

Eat fresh: Strawberries lose their phytonutrients when processed or cooked, so give them fresh wherever possible for maximum health benefits;

Not for the very young: Fresh strawberries shouldn’t be given to babies under 1 as they can provoke a rash or another intolerance;

Buy organic: Strawberries are one of the top 12 fruits & veggies most contaminated with pesticides, so buy organic.

Strawberries are most delicious and healthful served fresh with cream, ice cream, or that impossibly yummy creamy Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. A piece of pound cake or shortcake on the side completes this delicious summer picture.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is botanically a vegetable but classified as a fruit because that is how it is normally eaten. This long pink or red colored fruit is in season in May and June.

Here are some facts about rhubarb:

Rhubarb contains few calories but needs a lot of sugar when cooked so the advantage is lost somewhat.

In England it grows like a weed, making it a popular dessert fruit in that country. Here in the States, it is often combined with strawberries to make a pie.

Like strawberries, I would avoid giving rhubarb to a baby under 1 year old as rhubarb’s traditional role as a laxative or purgative could have some dramatic effects!

My favorite way to enjoy rhubarb is stewed (with either ginger or cinnamon which brings out the natural flavor of the fruit), and topped with a crumble that counteracts rhubarb’s acidity. The following is my recipe for rhubarb crumble. Add a few strawberries if you wish!

Click here for this article in printable PDF format, including Sara's recipe for English Rhubarb Crumble.

Comments

Thanks for your great tips on strawberries! The berry family is to fruits as broccoli is to vegetables, and those interested in a cancer prevention diet should find ways of eating these often. Even the pickiest eaters will frequently eat strawberries prepared in a smoothie. I agree with your comment about purchasing these organically grown, since they are in the top twelve as far as residual pesticide content. They also taste better!

Lynne Eldridge M.D.
Author, "Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time: Practical Advice for Preventing Cancer"
http://www.avoidcancernow.com

Posted by: Lynne Eldridge M.D. | June 11, 2007 10:02 AM | Reply to this comment

Strawberries & Rhubarb

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