The Herb Hound: WILD STRAWBERRIES

WILD STRAWBERRY - Fragaria Virginiana, Fragaria Vesca, Fragaria California, Fragaria Orientalis.

Also known as: wild strawberry, woodland strawberry, virginia strawberry, mountain strawberry, pineapple strawberry, etc.

Parts used: leaves, berries, root.

Systems/organs affected: eyes, oral, reproductive, immune, digestive, brain, skeletal, cardiovascular, pancreas, skin, hair.

Properties: astringent, nutritive, anti-inflammatory, tonic, diuretic, anticarcinogenic, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-diabetic.

Strawberry is a member of the Rose family. It is technically not a fruit but an "achene" or a "runner" in layman's terms. It is a berry produced by a running seed and the only plant to have its seeds on the outside of its delicious 'fruit' rather than on the inside. Strawberries have three serrated leaves that can get up to four inches long. They remain a lovely green color until the seasons change at which point they become a nice red color. The flowers are white with five petals that are rounded with a slight tip. The runners set root in the soil and produce more plants. The berry itself is tiny, not like domestic strawberries as far as size goes. Wild strawberries get to about one inch in size and are a melt-in-your-mouth blast of deliciousness! If you are lucky enough to find a patch of them that the deer or rabbits haven't eaten, you have found a golden piece of Heaven. They are commonly found on forest floors where it is a little moist and in and out of the shade. There are around 600 different species of strawberry worldwide and they are best found between April and June. There are roughly 200 seeds per strawberry.

Let me just say that who knew strawberries were good for so many things? I learned so much about them that I never knew before so this was a great herb for me this month.
Strawberries date back centuries. Archeologists have found them in pots from the Neolithic period along with other foods. They were a common food during the Roman era as well. The Europeans and Native Americans have used strawberries for far more than just a tasty bite. Manasseh Cutler (1785) was probably one of the first non-native American to document its uses. He quotes a 'Dr. Withering' as saying that strawberries "promote perspiration, impart a violet smell to the urine, and dissolve the tartarous encrustation on the teeth. People afflicted with the stone or gout have found great relief from using them very freely."

The botanist Constantine Rafinesque (1828) spoke of Carl Linnaeus and Hoffman using them for gout, scurvy, fevers, pulmonary tuberculosis, diseases of the kidneys and bladder, and for inflammatory conditions. They stated that those with chronic complaints would benefit from regularly consuming strawberries.

An 1868 study done by a Canadian pharmacy found that strawberries contain a host of components which are closely allied to the cinchona (a tree in South America that contains quinine). They contain a tannin called fragarianine which is similar in its uses to quinnotannic acid.

Elizabeth Blackwell (1850s), physician, claimed they were not just for cordials but worked well for "hot bilious constitutions" as well. John Hill (1700s), botanist, added that they are "good to destroy the web in a man's eyes. Also, the juice of it meddled with honey and drunken, helpeth the milt." (Had to look that one up - means seminal fluid.)
The Iroquois have special ceremonies of thanks for the harvest of the first berries of the year/season. The Cherokee and Abenaki tribes both have stories of love that involve strawberries and quarreling couples reuniting. The English have a similar legend and call strawberries the "Queen of Fruit." Young married couples were permitted a hefty serving of strawberries and cream as an aphrodisiac and reproductive aid.

The Potawatomi used the root for stomach issues. Many tribes used the leaves to cleanse the stomach, for fevers, kidney issues, diarrhea, dysentery, skin problems, sores, gout, rheumatism, liver and gallbladder issues, inflamed mucous membranes, sore throat, infant cholera, as a strengthening tonic for convalescence, to clean teeth, soothe eye inflammations and help with hay fever. The root "tea" was often mixed with yarrow root to "cure" insanity. The leaf tea also seemed to act as an antihistamine and has been used for hay fever, inflammation, and allergies. The juice was used to remove tartar and whiten teeth and to soothe sunburns.

Since modern medicine doesn't go by historical uses of the plants - we do have some studies that have actually proven the power of strawberries.

The 'Archives of Ophthalmology' found that eating three or more servings of berries a day lowered the risk of developing macular degeneration. Some of the elements found within these berries may explain why they work so well for the eyes. Strawberries seem to help regulate and maintain the ocular pressure in the eyes which helps to protect them from a number of degenerating and debilitating eye illnesses.

The 'Journal of Agriculture & Food Chemistry' found that the anthocyanidins in these delectable berries help to burn fat and improve short-term memory. Other compounds also help with this like vitamin C, potassium, iodine, zinc, manganese, magnesium, B vitamins, quercetin, kaempferol, fisetin, catechins, resveratrol, vitamin D, salicylic acid, ellagic acid, lutein zeaxanthin, calcium, iron, etc. All of which just happen to be found in strawberries! (Who knew this berry packed such a punch?)

Harvard School of Public Health found that women who consumed more than 16 strawberries a week were 14% less likely to have high amounts of C-reactive protein in the body. (C-reactive protein is produced by the liver as a response to inflammation in the body.)

Strawberries have been found to boost the immune system. One serving of strawberries provides 150% of your daily requirement of vitamin C.

The abundance of certain minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium) have made these berries potent aids for cardiovascular issues (stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure). In fact, eating these regularly was found to reduce the risk of heart attack by 32%. Eating strawberries also lowers homocysteine levels which helps to protect the arteries from plaque and decay.

Strawberries rank very low on the glycemic scale (around 40) which makes it a great food for diabetics. Scientists found that eating 37 strawberries a day reduced neuropathy and kidney disease - two trademarks of diabetes. The studies also found that the flavonoid fisetin promoted neuron survival and improved memory in healthy mice as well as preventing brain and kidney issues in diabetic mice.
Strawberries are higher in folic acid, which makes them a good pregnancy food. Folic acid is essential for preventing birth defects in pregnant women.

Strawberries are high in ellagic acid. This powerful element was found to drastically reduce the reproduction of cancer cells.

Strawberries are also a healthy option for the reproductive areas of both men and women. The seeds have high amounts of zinc as well as antioxidants. Zinc regulates testosterone, which is essential for sperm production and also helps a woman's body be better prepared to receive attention when it comes to intimacy.

Strawberries have several benefits for the skin, hair, bones and teeth as well, as well as being considered an anti-aging food. With all these things it can do, what's not to like?

There are some cautions with strawberries. Those on beta blockers, hormone blockers, diuretics, blood pressure medication, and those on medication for heart disease should avoid strawberries as they may affect how they are utilized. Strawberries are also a common allergen.

One should only ingest strawberries that are certified organic or harvested in the wild as strawberries consistently make the "Dirty Dozen" list put out by the Environmental Working Group. That is a list of foods that have the highest pesticide content. I recommend buying certified organic as their standards are much more rigorous for approval than just straight organic.

The Herb Hound

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

WILD STRAWBERRIES

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