New health packed strawberry identified in Australia
A Queensland strawberry breeding program has identified a new variety of the fruit with superior nut…A Queensland strawberry breeding program has identified a new variety of the fruit with superior nutritional value.
Researchers on the Sunshine Coast have found a line of dark strawberries with up to twice the normal levels of phytochemicals.
Agri-Science Queensland spokesman Dr Kent Fanning says phytochemicals in fruit and vegetables protect against heart disease, obesity and cancer.
"In this breeding variety the levels of those compounds are double that of current commercial varieties," he said.
"The significance of that is there's accumulating literature suggesting dietary consumption of anthocyanin can result in health benefits, mostly in the context of heart health ... things like reducing blood pressure, improving cholesterol."