Basic Introduction to Changping Strawberries
Changping Strawberries are a specialty of the Changping District in Beijing, and are a Chinese national geographical indication product. The Changping District is located in an internationally recognized optimal strawberry production zone, with superior production conditions and outstanding product quality. They enjoy a strong reputation in surrounding provinces and have been exported to places like Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Changping area has excellent natural conditions for growing strawberries. Located at 40 degrees north latitude, this area is internationally recognized as the best latitude for strawberry cultivation. Changping has a warm temperate continental semi-humid and semi-arid monsoon climate, with clear seasons throughout the year. It receives an average of 2,684 hours of sunlight annually, with an average annual temperature of 11.7°C. The frost-free period is around 200 days, and the average annual rainfall is 550-600 millimeters, which meets all the climatic criteria for strawberry growth. The strawberry production area in Changping is located in a warm belt at the foot of mountains, with large day-night temperature differences and ample sunshine during the strawberry growing season, conducive to the accumulation of sugars and development of flavor. Changping is situated in a clean air environment, with air quality reaching grade one or two for 70% of the year. Water sources are pure and pollution-free, seeping through rhyolite from the Yan Mountains. The Jingmi water diversion channel also runs through here, providing superior water resource conditions. The soil is slightly acidic and sandy, with good permeability. These superior natural endowments are prerequisites for producing high-quality agricultural products. The natural endowments of the Changping District are highly suitable for strawberry growth, ensuring the quality of the fruit.
Nutritional Value
1. Strawberries are rich in vitamins and minerals, containing up to 80 mg of vitamin C per hundred grams, far higher than apples and pears. They also contain glucose, fructose, citric acid, malic acid, carotene, riboflavin, and other nutrients that promote healthy growth and development in children and are beneficial to the health of the elderly.
2. The primary nutritional value of strawberries lies in their very high vitamin C content. Vitamin C can prevent gum bleeding, promote wound healing, and make the skin soft and elastic. Recent studies have found that vitamin C can help prevent arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, cerebral hemorrhage, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and other diseases.
3. The carotene in strawberries is an essential component for synthesizing vitamin A, which helps improve vision and liver health.
4. The latest foreign research also indicates that strawberries contain a type of amine that is effective in treating leukemia and aplastic anemia.
Product Characteristics
Sensory characteristics: The fruit shape is neat and full, the fruit surface is glossy and bright, the achenes are evenly distributed, the flesh texture is delicate, the taste is pure and fragrant, and the fruit hardness is relatively high, making them suitable for storage and transportation. The coloring degree of the fruit is ≥90%. Large fruit varieties weigh ≥25g each, while medium and small fruit varieties weigh ≥20g each.
Awards and Honors
In March 2009, the Changping District hosted the “Fourth China Strawberry Cultural Festival.” Samples from 33 strawberry varieties across 12 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions participated in the competition. Changping strawberries, with their bright color, uniform size, and sweet taste, won 82 medals, accounting for 58.6% of the total medals awarded at the festival.
On December 15, 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China approved the registration and protection of “Changping Strawberries” as a geographical indication agricultural product.
On March 16, 2011, the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “Changping Strawberries.”
Tasting and Serving Suggestions
1. In cases of indigestion, bloating, and poor appetite, eat 60g of strawberries before meals, three times daily;
2. For gum bleeding, mouth ulcers, and reduced urine output with yellow urine, crush 60g of fresh strawberries, and take it with cold water, three times daily;
3. For persistent dry cough without phlegm, stew 6g of fresh strawberries together with 30g of rock sugar, and take it three times daily;
4. In cases of fever, dry cough, sore throat, and hoarseness, wash and blend fresh strawberries into juice, taking one cup in the morning and evening;
5. For dizziness after drinking alcohol, consume 100g of fresh strawberries, washed and eaten all at once, to help sober up;
6. For malnutrition or post-illness weakness and weight loss, blend washed strawberries into juice and mix with an equal amount of rice wine to make strawberry wine, taken once in the morning and once in the evening.