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Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh vegetables. While some water-soluble vitamins degrade during the blanching process used to freeze vegetables, the quick freezing locks in many nutrients. Frozen vegetables are often frozen shortly after being picked, when they are at their peak nutritional level. They also tend to be more affordable and have a longer shelf life than fresh vegetables. Choosing frozen vegetables that are simply prepared, without added sauces, is a healthy option to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.

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33 views2 pages

Aarp 1

Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh vegetables. While some water-soluble vitamins degrade during the blanching process used to freeze vegetables, the quick freezing locks in many nutrients. Frozen vegetables are often frozen shortly after being picked, when they are at their peak nutritional level. They also tend to be more affordable and have a longer shelf life than fresh vegetables. Choosing frozen vegetables that are simply prepared, without added sauces, is a healthy option to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.

Uploaded by

Himali Thennakoon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Are You Healthier Eating Fresh Or Frozen Veggies?

Most adults need to raise their daily vegetable and fruit intake to 2.5 to 3 cups. Men should
increase their consumption of veggies. Just nine percent of Americans eat enough vegetables,
and only twelve percent eat enough fruit.
It's preferable to consume any sort of vegetable rather than none at all. In terms of vitamins,
minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, vegetables score high marks. Putting healthy foods in the
freezer is a risk-free option to extend their storage life. However, many individuals have the
false impression that frozen veggies lack the nutritional value of fresh ones. Frozen veggies'
nutritional value and their comparability to that of fresh produce are still up for debate. We
know exactly what to do and when to do it.

Frozen vegetables are a popular option.

Plenty of us are forced to rely on canned or frozen goods when the winter season approaches
and fresh produce becomes scarce or pricey. Gene Lester, Ph.D., national program leader for
nutrition, food safety, and quality at the USDA, says that while some nutrients are lost during
the preservation process of canned vegetables (notable exceptions include tomatoes and
pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold
in supermarkets. What gives? Frozen fruits and vegetables are often picked and prepared at
the height of their nutritious density.
Blanching vegetables in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and stop food-degrading enzymes
causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach
out, but the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state. In
terms of nutritional content, a 2017 research showed no discernible differences between
frozen and fresh veggies. It's more likely that frozen veggies have a higher nutritional content
than fresh ones, even when just a little variation exists.
The cost of fresh vegetables and fruits is significantly higher than that of frozen goods.
Frozen (and canned) veggies may be more cost efficient for shoppers on a tighter budget.
Fresh cauliflower florets cost around $3.13 per pound, but frozen cauliflower costs just about
$1.68 per pound on average. An adult female may follow the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans on about $8.52 per day, or $59.66 per week, if she shops almost exclusively from
the frozen food section, according to a white paper issued by the American Frozen Food
Institute.
As an added downside, fresh veggies spoil considerably faster than their frozen counterparts.
Choose fresh fruits and vegetables if you plan to consume them quickly. However, frozen is a
failsafe option for minimizing spoilage and waste.
Choose frozen foods that haven't been salted (you can always add some as you cook) and try
to stick to buying simple ingredients. Vegetables in a sauce will have more salt, but they
might be a nice compromise for finicky eaters.
Cooked meals, such as casseroles, stir-fries, pastas, and soups (read more about our favorite
cooking methods below), benefit greatly from the use of frozen veggies. Broccoli, peas,
maize, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and squash are also popular choices.

Buying Organic Produce

You can't beat the taste and health benefits of seasonal produce. The best tasting, healthiest
fruit and vegetables are those that are grown and sold locally, and this is especially true
during peak growing seasons. However, in many parts of the country, this is just not possible
during the whole year.
Fruits and vegetables gathered in the winter for distribution to supermarkets throughout the
country are sometimes harvested before they are fully mature, resulting in a narrower
nutritional profile. Vegetables that are picked before they are fully ripe on the vine may still
show outward signs of ripening, but they will not have the same nutritional value. Some
nutrients, particularly heat- and light-sensitive vitamins like C and B vitamin thiamin, are
also lost throughout the long journey from farm to fork.
Only fresh vegetables, such avocados and yogurt, can be eaten raw with dips like classic
hummus. Vegetable snap and crispness are essential in salads and slaws. Fresh food has a
longer shelf life than you may imagine if you store it properly. For further information, see
How to Preserve Fruits and Vegetables.

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