Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
You’ve got questions…
We’ve got answers!
Today, we are going to address something we get many questions about… the nutritional value of frozen fruits and veggies.
Let’s get started…
Dear Natalie,
I use frozen produce a lot because it’s cheap and convenient. However, a friend recently told me that fresh fruits and vegetables have more nutrients, vitamins and minerals than frozen ones. Is this true?
Thanks,
Donna D.
Thanks for the great question, Donna.
The truth is there’s no clear winner between fresh and frozen fruits and veggies.
Freezing can sometimes change the nutritional profile of produce. Sometimes this works in favor of the frozen food, and sometimes in the favor of the fresh. It really depends on the plant, but it’s typically not a significant change.
To prove this, a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry compared the nutritional content of eight different fresh and frozen vegetables and fruit: blueberries, broccoli, carrots, corn, green beans, peas, strawberries and spinach.
On average, the researchers found no consistent differences in terms of fiber, antioxidants and mineral levels between the fresh and frozen versions of all eight plants.
Every now and then, a slight, odd variation would pop up. For example, frozen peas had less vitamin B than fresh peas, but frozen green beans and blueberries had more vitamin C than fresh green beans and blueberries.
But in general, there were really no big differences worth worrying about.
After looking at this study, it’s pretty clear that whichever type of produce you choose — fresh or frozen — you’re still getting a lot of nutrition.
And that’s why it’s so important to keep produce in your diet in whichever form best fits your lifestyle and budget.
Do you have any health questions you want answered? Drop me a line: nmoore@lfb.org
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook.
Sources
[1] Vitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage.
