http://www.care2.com/greenliving/fresh-vs-frozen-vegetables.html
Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables
By Rachael Moeller Gorman, Eating Well
Are we giving up nutrition for convenience? The answer may surprise you. Americans typically eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables, so if you’re in a bind, a vegetable in any form is better than no vegetable at all.
In winter, fresh produce is limited–or expensive–in much of the country, which forces many of us to turn to canned or frozen options. While canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets, says Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, Texas. Why? 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 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 in a relatively nutrient-rich state.
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. Choose packages marked with a USDA “U.S. Fancy” shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades “U.S. No. 1″ or “U.S. No. 2.” Eat them soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally, steam rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.
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10 comments
add your comment »and i thought that frozen stuff cant be healthier than the fresh stuff.
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I have been using frozen vegie mixes for many years as a quick stir-fry to serve over rice. Add a bit of cubed tofu and you've got a fairly balanced meal. I was wondering, though, how much nutrient is lost by stir-frying and if the length of time the vegies cook means more loss? I don't use water and the little bit of olive oil used gets consumed along with the vegies.
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So glad to know that frozen is healthy too..I grow alot of my own during season and freeze for winter...Its great to know this will not hurt our nutritional values....
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i use frozen berry mixtures in the winter...expensive but less so than the way out of season alternative....and good too........
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I'm not American but very intrested in the topic. What temperature condition is recommended for vegetable storing?
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was good know about the frozen vegetables, tranks you
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Where do you get your organic food box delivered from, Rebecca? I've never heard of that, but I'm definitely interested.
~Audrey
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Thanks for the information. It's hard to buy fruits and veges in season of course they are going to be frozen at some stage
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as a working mom of toddler twins, I definitely use frozen fruits and veggies, although I do buy local and in season whenever possible (and I get a biweekly organic food box delivered, which makes that even easier). I read a while ago that frozen veggies were a healthy convenience, and I am very happy about that!
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I think it's somewhat sad that fresh fruit and vegetables are not always good as fresh. But considering the cost, I am happy to know frozen works just as well. I had no idea I was supposed to be eating 9 servings! Great information.
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