Have you wondered about the quality of your fruit and vegetables? We tend to think that fresh is best. But is this really true?
You may be surprised to hear that frozen produce can actually contain more nutrients than fresh groceries! It all comes down to the way in which they are processed, and the location from which they are sourced. 1https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fresh-vs-frozen-fruit-and-vegetables2https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/are-frozen-fruit-vegetables-healthy-fresh. Let’s compare:
FRESH PRODUCE 🍉
✅ More local to you!
When your produce is in season, this means it has travelled less to get to your door! This is a great way to keep your carbon footprint down, too.
✅ Organic options
Fresh produce often comes in an organic variety. This is a great way to limit your intake of farming chemicals and pesticides.
❌ Picked BEFORE they’re ripe
This means they continue to ripen in transit, ready for display on the shelf. Early picking also means less time to develop the richness of vitamins and minerals.
❌ Additional processing
Here in the UK, we also eat a lot of imported food to keep certain products stocked all year-round. This means that some of your produce is preserved for weeks (or months) before you pick it up!
FROZEN PRODUCE 🥕
✅ Less preservative/processing!
Frozen fruit and vegetables can undergo less processing. This is because freezing will keep them from spoiling.
✅ Picked when ripe
They are also picked when ripe and frozen very shortly afterwards. This helps keep that nutritional goodness!
❌ Blanching can degrade vitamins
Frozen vegetables (not fruit) are often blanched to kill off bacteria before freezing. This process can degrade some vitamins in the process.
❌ Stored for too long!
Not even a freezer can preserve them forever! Some produce may sit in the freezer for up to a year. They are best within a few months of being frozen, so remember to keep using them.
So now you know! We suggest eating local, in-season produce for your fresh fruits and veggies. But if you’re craving something out-of-season, go ahead and reach for the freezer instead. 😊
References
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