Fragaria

**Strawberry: A Fragrant and Pink Delight**
Strawberries are sweet-smelling, pink-colored fruits. They can be consumed fresh or used to make jam and marmalade.Belonging to the Rosaceaefamily, strawberries are annual herbaceous plants. Thin extensions that appear at the base of their leaves are actually the above-ground creeping stems of strawberries. Roots grow from the nodes of these stems that touch the ground. During the summer, their above-ground parts dry up, while the underground stems survive during the winter. When spring comes, they send out long creeping above-ground stems again. Strawberries produce small white flowers.
The strawberry fruit is formed by filling the “receptacle” with a sugary and juicy substance. The part we eat is this pseudo-fruit. The real fruit consists of the small seeds that look like black dots on the surface of the strawberry.
Strawberries come in various sizes, have fragrant or odorless varieties, and can be found in the wild or specially cultivated. “Wild strawberries” are small but have a beautiful fragrance. “Cultivated strawberries” are dark red, medium-sized, with less fragrance and a slightly tart taste. The best variety is the “Ottoman strawberry,” which is both fragrant and red, grown in Istanbul. After that, there’s the “Ereğli strawberry,” which is fi rmer and redder. The “Arnavutköy strawberry” is also considered a good variety, being both fragrant and juicy.
Strawberries are delicate plants that spoil quickly when exposed to rain. They thrive best in dry areas with clay, sandy, or loamy soils. They can be propagated by runners.
Wild strawberries have been known in Europe since ancient times. However, the cultivation and improvement of strawberries only began in the late 16th century. Nevertheless, the best strawberries are grown in our country.
Strawberries are composed of approximately 90% water, 6% sugars, 3% cellulose and fats, and 1% proteinaceous substances. They contain 41 calories per 100 grams.
One of the main features of strawberries is that they can be eaten by diabetics without fear. However, those with kidney stones or sand are advised not to consume large quantities of strawberries.
Strawberries are rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, sodium, and iron.