Depending on where you live, you’re right in the middle of peak strawberry season or nearing the end of it. Whether you have yet to make it to a pick-your-own farm or you’ve been making weekly pilgrimages, chances are you’ve been enjoying the sweet fruit for as long as you can remember. How much do we really know about them, though? Food Republic is here to teach us some facts about these red perennials. Did you know:

1. How much the U.S.A. loves them?
   
   Irina Schmidt via Dollar Photo Club
   
   Americans love “nature’s candy” so much they eat, on average, 3 1/2 pounds every year, each. If you count frozen strawberries, this number goes up to 5 pounds.
2. That 80% of American strawberries come from California?
   
   benketaro via Flickr
   
   Farmers have to keep up with that high demand somehow! Even though every state – and every Canadian province! – grows the fruit, most of them come from the Golden State— some 2 billion pounds. Yet another reason to worry about the drought.
3. They can potentially reduce heart disease and center cancers?
   
   olyina via Dollar Photo Club
   
   This low-calorie fruit is high in disease-and-cancer-fighting vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K, fiber, folic acid, potassium and amino acids.
4. They’re high in nitrates?
   
   Jon ShakataGaNai Davis via Wikimedia Commons
   
   About to exercise? Rather than carbo-loading, try strawberry-loading. Nitrates have demonstrated the power to increase blood and oxygen flow to the muscles, which in turn helps us burn more calories and increase our endurance.
5. They’ve been a medical go-to since the time of Ancient Rome?
   
   psloane via Pixabay
   
   The Romans might not have known about nitrates and vitamins, but they still believed in strawberries, using them to treat depression, fainting, fevers, kidney stones, sore throats, and even bad breath!
6. The best way to store them?
   
   Julie Magro via Flickr
   
   Cut the stems! If you’re going to refrigerate them, wait until it’s time to eat to wash them, as pre-rinsing can speed up spoiling. Otherwise, wash when you cut!
7. That you can pickle them?
   
   Moonsun1981 via Wikimedia Commons
   
   You can! This method works especially well if you’ve missed a prime picking time and are stuck with green or unripe berries. Got the opposite problem? Just turn them into jam!

Did you know any of these facts before? Want to learn more about strawberries? Then be sure to click on over to Food Republic for more fun facts!