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STRAWBERRIES – HEART-SHAPED IMMUNITY BOOSTERS
Eating eight fresh strawberries provides nearly 100% of the recommended Daily Value of immune-boosting vitamin C. That’s not all. Recent studies show the same 1-cup serving size of this sweet juicy superfruit can improve heart and brain health, help manage diabetes, lessen inflammation and reduce the risk of cancers.
These health-boosting benefits come from the key nutrients in strawberries, such as vitamin C, fiber, folate, potassium and plant-based antioxidants, such as anthocyanin. What’s more, these beautiful red berries taste great and are available year-round to eat daily both out-of-hand and in sweet and savory dishes.
THE VITAMIN C + IRON CONNECTION
Vitamin C in strawberries can boost the absorption of iron. This can help prevent iron deficiency anemia when these two nutrients are eaten at the same time. To take advantage of this, first, choose fresh berries, as exposing strawberries to heat in cooking can destroy vitamin C. Secondly, vitamin C is especially effective at boosting iron in plant-based foods such as fortified breakfast cereals; lentils, red kidney beans and chickpeas; almonds and cashews; oats and quinoa; and dark green leafy greens. Think sliced straw-berries over cereal, tossed into salads, and served as a snack – anyone for strawberries dipped in chocolate hummus?
Conversation Starters
DID YOU KNOW… Eating Strawberries Can Boost Memory?
Men and women ages 60 to 75 who ate the equivalent of 2 cups of fresh strawberries daily for three months had better memory and ability to learn compared to those who didn’t get this berry boost, according to a January, 2021-published study by researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Remember that when you shop!
DID YOU KNOW… Strawberries Can Help You Live Longer?
When 18- to 55-year-old adults drank a strawberry beverage each day equal to 2 cups of berries, the ‘good’ bacteria in their gut multiplied. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, say it’s the dietary fiber and polyphenols in strawberries that work like a prebiotic and can promote lean body weight, overall health and longevity. How’s that for finding the fountain of youth in a berry bowl!
Cross-Merchandising Guide
Show Shoppers How Easy It Is to Eat Two Cups a Day
Breakfast: Cut half a cup over morning oatmeal or French toast, pancakes or waffles
Lunch: Toss half a cup over a sliced chicken, walnut and spring mix salad Dinner: Slice four strawberries atop Greek yogurt for a dessert parfait Snack: Grab four berries, with a slice of sharp cheddar and few almonds for a mini cheeseboard snack
STRAWBERRY SELECTION & STORAGE
*Tips from the California Strawberry Commission
At the store:
Look for a bright red color, natural shine, and fresh green caps.
At home:
• Refrigerate and keep dry until just before serving.
• When ready to serve, rinse berries under cool water with green stems still intact and gently blot dry.
• Remove green caps with a light twist or with the point of a knife.
To freeze:
Slice stem off rinsed strawberries and place cut side down on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
PICK A BERRY GOOD SUPPLIER
S. Katzman Produce, a family business with 100-plus years of partnering with valued suppliers and customers, is a leading produce wholesaler/distributor in NYC. Katzman first got into the berry business in 1995. For the first few years, the company sold just a few truckloads per week. However, customers loved the berries, and the writing was on the wall that this was a great growth area.
“When we first started working with Driscoll’s, we began with just a few pallets of Driscoll’s strawberries each week. One of the best ways that we’re able to support our shippers is to help make sure each clamshell – or in our case as a wholesaler/distributor, each box of clamshells – sells the next. That’s how we have been able to build our strawberry business and our relationship with Driscoll’s: by focusing on quality and customer service to ensure that each order and positive customer experience leads to the next,” says Stefanie Katzman, executive vice president and fourth generation in the family business.
Today, strawberries are S. Katzman Produce’s top-selling item with over 25 million pounds sold each year.
S. Katzman Produce
213 New York City Terminal Market, Bronx, NY 10474
Phone: 718.991.4700
Email: info@katzmanproduce.com
