Frozen vs fresh fruit and vegetables: which is better?
I’m often asked whether frozen vegetables are as healthy as their fresh counterparts. My answer? Yes they are, in fact, maybe more so! Here’s why:
Fresh fruit and vegetables are picked before they are ripe to allow for transit time.
Did you know that most produce travels anywhere from 3 days to several weeks from farm to store? The typical journey for grocery store produce is this:
Produce is picked before it is ripe to allow for transit time
Transit time can vary from 3 days to several weeks to get from farm to grocery store (some produce, like apples and pears, can be stored in cold storage for 12 months or more before being sold)
During transportation, fresh produce is generally stored in a chilled, controlled atmosphere and treated with chemicals to prevent spoiling.
Once they reach the supermarket, fruits and vegetables may spend an additional 1–3 days on display. They’re then stored in people’s homes for up to 7 days before being eaten.
Because fresh fruit and veggies are picked BEFORE they are ripe, they have less time on the tree/vine/bush to develop a full range of vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants.
frozen fruits and vegetables are cut and frozen at the peak of ripeness
This means they have more time to create all those good vitamins and minerals on the vine/tree/bush
They are frozen almost immediately, maintaining all of those good nutrients
Because they are frozen right away, chemicals are not generally needed to maintain their freshness. The exception to this is with some fruits that are treated with ascorbic acid (a form of Vit C) to prevent spoilage
Small amounts of Vits B and C can be lost during the blanching (boiling for a very short time) process, something that only frozen vegetables undergo
The exception to this is if you are getting local produce and/or growing it yourself.
If you are purchasing LOCAL produce, it doesn’t undergo the same transit time as grocery store produce, so you don’t have to worry about the nutrient loss/addition of chemicals there.
Bottom line: fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a well-rounded diet and offer so many nutrients and antioxidants. Studies that have compared fresh vs. frozen produce have found that both have similar nutrient profiles, so incorporating frozen veggies or fruits into your home can be a great (and convenient) way to get these superfoods into your diet.
