Avoiding Cold And Flu

It may take more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away-strawberries may help, too. In fact, nutritionists say a well balanced diet rich in different types of fruits is the best way to ward off a number of illnesses, including cold and flu.

According to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the average child will get six to 10 colds a year while adults will get as many as four. With cold and flu season a growing concern (and increasingly disturbing reports about avian flu), consumers may reach for over-the-counter remedies or nutritional supplements-but fruits may be their best bet.

For instance, nutritiously packed California Strawberries are considered a "superfood"-a whole, natural food rich in nutrients and low in calories. These sweet and delicious berries are loaded with vitamin C, which is critical for a healthy diet.

Assistant director at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Human Nutrition Navindra Seeram, Ph.D., says a healthy diet rich in vitamin C can help reduce the chance of catching a cold as well as limit severe symptoms and shorten its duration.

"Most people do associate vitamin C with oranges but if you look at oranges versus strawberries, ounce per ounce, strawberries actually contain more vitamin C than oranges and also contain potassium, folate, fiber and phytonutrients," Seeram said. "Eating strawberries actually provides the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C intake." (Eight medium strawberries provide 84 milligrams of vitamin C.)

Besides fighting colds, diets high in vitamin C may help lower cancer risk, especially for oral, esophageal, stomach, colon and lung cancer-and it seems that vitamin C, taken as a supplement, doesn't have the same effect.

Additionally, nature's wholesome "superfood" is at the top of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) list for antioxidants, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and many forms of cancer.

Available all-year round, California Strawberries may be used in a variety of ways: as a high-energy snack; to revive new interest in salads; as a fresh addition to a favorite sandwich; or with chocolate for a healthy-indulgent dessert.

For more recipes and information about California Strawberries, visit www.calstrawberry.com or contact the California Strawberry Commission, P.O. Box 269, Watsonville, CA 95077, (831) 724-1301.

California strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and disease-fighting antioxidants. (NAPSI)