In the supermarket, you’ll find an entire section with fresh vegetables and fruits. Just a little further down, boxes and bags filled with frozen varieties are also available. Is there a difference in how healthy they are, and which one should you choose?
Healthy Eating Pattern
Eating enough vegetables and fruits is part of a healthy diet. But sometimes it’s difficult to use all those fresh products before they spoil. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be a great solution, but many people think they are much less healthy. We have news for you: that’s absolutely not the case!
How fresh is fresh?
Before fresh vegetables and fruits end up in our refrigerator, quite a bit of time passes. Vegetables and fruits that are meant to be sold as fresh are often harvested before they are fully ripe, because there’s a long period between harvest and consumption.
Then, the process starts to prepare the products for consumption: they are washed, packaged, and transported before eventually reaching the supermarket. This process takes a lot of time, and during this time, important nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants are lost.
So, fresh vegetables and fruits are actually less ‘fresh’ than we think, unless you eat them immediately after picking. But since not everyone has a vegetable garden in their backyard, we rely on supermarket options.
Preservation of Vitamins
Compared to fresh, frozen vegetables and fruits are an excellent option. In fact, research has shown that frozen vegetables and fruits contain just as many – and in some cases even more – vitamins. Freezing is a natural preservation process that doesn’t require any additional chemicals. Freezing halts the breakdown of vitamins, so the products contain more vitamins and minerals. This helps to keep you healthy, for example, when fighting off viruses.
Additionally, the products are harvested when they are perfectly ripe, making them truly fresh. Vitamins and minerals are not lost, and the degradation of nutritional value is stopped. That’s why frozen vegetables and fruits can be healthier than fresh products from the supermarket. Furthermore, frozen vegetables and fruits are often much cheaper than fresh ones, and you can store them in the freezer much longer than in the fruit bowl!