Germans' favorite fruit: Strawberry in first place

Berlin. The strawberry is by far the favorite fruit in Germany. Four out of five Germans rank the red, vitamin-rich fruit among their favorite local fruits (79 percent), according to a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Yougov on behalf of the German Press Agency. Apples follow in second place – ranked among the favorite fruits by 58 percent of respondents, ahead of raspberries (53 percent) and cherries (50 percent).

At the bottom of the popularity list of (rather) sweet plants are rhubarb and gooseberries – both were mentioned by 17 percent of respondents.

89 percent of respondents look forward to the annual strawberry season in Germany, which lasts until approximately the end of June. And only 2 percent of respondents say they dislike strawberries at all.

And this is how Germans like to eat their strawberries: on their own (78 percent), on a cake or tart (42 percent), with yogurt or quark (39 percent), with ice cream (34 percent), or with whipped cream (33 percent). 17 percent also like strawberries in muesli.

Strawberries aren't just a treat for many these days on their own. These summer fruits taste even better in the form of a delicious cake. Whether quick and easy, trendy, or low-calorie: We've selected a recipe for every taste.

"In between meals" is the answer to the question about which meals people in Germany eat their fruit or berries with (68 percent). This is followed by breakfast (39 percent), dinner (17 percent), and lunch (13 percent).

According to the latest figures, Germans eat an average of 3.3 kilograms of strawberries per year; according to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food, around 40 percent of Germany's needs are met by domestic berries.

Many people may not know that botanically, it is neither a berry nor a fruit. The sweet flesh of the strawberry is considered a false fruit. Its true fruits are the tiny nuts on the outside of the strawberry, also called achenes. These contain the seeds, approximately 200 in an average strawberry.

Although strawberries are 90 percent water, they contain more vitamin C than oranges. They contain numerous fiber, iron, potassium, and important vitamins such as B9 (folate) and B2. According to the German Federal Center for Nutrition, strawberries protect against cardiovascular disease, kill pathogens, and have anti-inflammatory effects.

RND/dpa