FRESH VS FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Fresh vs Frozen Produce: Are we giving up nutrition for convenience?

Most people typically eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables, so if you’re confused as to which to choose, vegetables or fruits in any form is better than none at all.

Fruits and vegetables are mostly found in 3 ways at your grocery store:

• Fresh
• Canned
• Frozen

The nutritional content varies according to the type of fruits or vegetables you get.

Canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin). Canned fruits and vegetables tend to be higher in sugar and salt content. When choosing canned vegetables, choose low-sodium or no added sodium options. When choosing canned fruit make sure you buy fruit in fruit juice and not fruit in syrup.

Frozen foods get a bad rap for being processed junk, but the truth is, some of the healthiest foods in the market are in the freezer section. Frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets. Fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed.

While the first step of freezing fruits or vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables/fruits in a relatively nutrient-rich state.

Freezing preserves food, so no unwanted additives are needed in bags of frozen goodies, like spinach and strawberries. In addition, "naked" produce (e.g. no added salt or sugar) is the norm, so it's incredibly easy to find fruits and veggies with single word ingredient lists- simply the fruit or veggie itself. To be sure, always check the ingredients, but I bet you'll find at least a dozen varieties in the freezer aisle with absolutely nothing added.

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Outward signs of ripening may still occur, but these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light, which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate vitamins like C and the B vitamin thiamin.

Bottom Line:

• When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients.
• The nutritional content of frozen and fresh produce is very similar, maybe better in frozen foods. So when in dilemma you can choose whatever option is available.
• Choose frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables over canned
• Frozen vegetables and fruits are usually cut, washed and prepped so it makes them a very easy way to add them to our meals. Helping us to increase their intake.
• Frozen vegetables tend to be a cheaper option than fresh produce
• Eat them soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade.
• Finally, steam or microwave rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.