Rather than the tried-and-old box of chocolates, which your female companion (spouse or girlfriend) might appreciate but wish you didn’t give her because of all the calories (don’t sabotage her diet, she might be thinking to herself), try the Chocolate Dipped Strawberries for Valentine’s Day 2010.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of medium-sized whole strawberries
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Preparation:

• Microwave chocolate in a glass bowl, stopping after 30 seconds, then every 10 seconds until almost melted. Stir until smooth and glossy. Wash strawberries and pat them dry (any moisture from the fruit will spoil the texture of the melted chocolate).
• Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate, covering the lower half of the strawberry.  Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Nutritional Information (per strawberry):

• Calories 48
• Calories from Fat 18, Calories from Fat 2g (sat 1.1g)
• Cholesterol 0 mg.
• Sodium 0 mg.
• Carbohydrate 6.8g
• Fiber 1.1g
• Protein 0.5

The Health Benefits of Strawberries

Below are some health benefits of strawberries.  Here is the source: ^{1 2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11}

Cancer

Ellagic acid is present in many red fruits and berries, including raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and cranberries. Studies have shown that strawberry consumption can increase anti-cancer activity on cancer cells of the breast, oesophagus, skin, colon, prostate and pancreas. More specifically, ellagic acid prevents the destruction of P53 gene by cancer cells.  Ellagic acid can also bind with cancer causing molecules, thereby making them inactive.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Due to their positive effects against anti-neurodegenerative diseases, strawberries are helpful in slowing the onset and reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Cardiovascular Health

Strawberries have also been linked with effecting blood vessels, platelets and lipoproteins positively, which can reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases.

Anti-Inflammatory

Strawberry extracts have also been shown to inhibit COX enzymes in vitro, which inhibits the inflammatory process.

Glycemic Index (GI)

In a study to determine the estimated GI of various foods, it was concluded that strawberries have a low GI of 40.

Nutrients

At a study at the Department of Food Science, at Cornell University, New York it was shown that strawberries contain high levels of antioxidants, which can decrease the risk of chronic disease. They were also shown to significantly reduce liver cancer cells. In addition to their known beneficial effects on cancer and heart disease, the antioxidant qualities of strawberries may also be beneficial in reversing the course of neuronal and behavioural aging.

Strawberries are an excellent source of dietary fiber and Vitamins C and K. They are a very good source of manganese, pantothenic acid, vitamin B1, and iodine. They are a good source of folic acid, biotin, and vitamin B6.