Strawberries are a feast for skin, body

FOR SOME American Indians, June was known as the strawberry-gathering moon. Today, it's one of my favorite times of the year.

The heart-shaped red berries now in season are sweet, sensual and powerfully nourishing.

And they have an intriguing history

For thousands of years, people have used strawberries for religious and beauty rituals. Ancient Egyptian seductress Cleopatra was rumored to bathe in crushed strawberries and milk.

The strawberry was the symbol of Venus, the ancient Roman goddess of love. And according to legend, the fruit is such a powerful aphrodisiac that two people who share a single strawberry were thought to fall in love.

Closer to home, strawberries, due to their heart shape, are sacred to the Midwestern Anishinaabe tribe of American Indians, also known as the Chippewa or Ojibway. And hundreds of years ago, eastern American Indians mixed the berries with cornmeal to bake a strawberry bread, which apparently inspired the Colonists to create strawberry shortcake.

Incredibly healthful

Packed with vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants that keep our skin looking beautiful, strawberries are a treat that makes you glow from the inside out.

A cup of fresh strawberries has only 45 calories and 11 grams of carbohydrate, making it one of the best fruits for diabetics and people trying to lose weight. Plus, the berries supply 4 grams of fiber and 100 percent of the vitamin C you need in a day.

In comparison, a cup of sliced banana has three times the calories and carbs, and one-tenth of the vitamin C. Bananas are still a healthy food--this is just a comparison to show that strawberries are stellar among fruits.

Strawberries also contain ellagic acid, a potent antioxidant that can help protect the skin and reduce the risk of cancer. Also, strawberries are being investigated for their ability to reduce inflammation and protect memory, according to research at the University of Illinois.

garden variety plus

There are many types of strawberries. The enormous hybrid berries you find at markets now are delicious and easy to eat. For sheer flavor, though, I love the smaller, wild berries.

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Low-Calorie Strawberry Snow Caps Makes 4 servings

1 pint basket California strawberries, stemmed 2 large navel oranges 2 tablespoons orange- flavored liqueur 2 egg whites dash of salt 2 tablespoons sugar

Procedure: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice strawberries into bowl. Halve oranges. Remove segments with grapefruit spoon or sharp knife and place in bowl with strawberries; reserve orange shells.

Add liqueur to fruit, then toss and chill.

Meanwhile, pull out membranes from orange shells, being careful not to puncture. Spoon strawberry mixture into shells. Place in shallow baking pan.

To make meringue, beat egg whites and salt until foamy and opaque.

Gradually beat in sugar to form stiff peaks. Cover top of each orange shell with meringue, spreading to edges to cover fruit.

Bake about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Chill. Garnish with additional strawberries and mint leaves, if desired.

Recipe from: California Strawberry Commission, calstrawberry .com Nutritional information per serving: 123 calories; 3.0 g protein; 0.4 g fat; 25.0 g carbohydrate; 0 mg cholesterol; 64 mg sodium.

Date published: 6/3/2007

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