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Frozen food is a convenient solution to the time gap between harvesting and serving, but whether it is as healthy as fresh food depends on the individual food. Fresh food is most nutritious when picked ripe, but grocery store produce is typically picked before it is ripe. Frozen food is allowed to mature longer before being frozen, retaining its nutritional value for up to a year. In-season produce is best bought fresh from local growers, while out-of-season produce is better bought frozen. When preparing frozen vegetables, it is better not to thaw them.
Busy schedules and metropolitan areas far removed from agricultural meccas, where our ancestors once worked, have led the food industry to provide a solution to the time gap between harvesting ripe food and when it is served. place on dinner plate. His answer to this gap is frozen food. Quick and convenient, frozen food can be found in almost any home, but is frozen food as healthy as fresh? The only accurate answer to this dilemma is: it depends.
Certainly fresh food tastes better and logically it seems that food in its most natural form would surely be healthier, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. When food is picked as soon as it’s ripe and bought direct from the farm, it’s at its most nutritious. However, the fruits and vegetables found in the produce section of a grocery store are typically picked before they are ripe. This is how food manufacturers prevent spoilage during transport from farm to store. Each day that passes after the food is removed from the farm means that the nutritional value has been depleted a little more.
However, if manufacturers intend to freeze food, they allow it to mature longer, then freeze it immediately after harvest when it is at the peak of health. The freezing process causes some loss of vitamins and minerals, but frozen foods retain their remaining nutritional value for up to a year. Without testing individual foods, there’s no way to know if frozen berries or fresh berries at your local grocery store are the better choice.
There are some rules to follow that will ensure the best result. If fruits and vegetables are in season, buy them fresh. Produce that is in season is more likely to come from local growers, which shortens transportation time and decreases nutrient depletion. If you want items that are out of season, head to the frozen section. A frozen food item is more likely to be healthier than an out-of-season fresh item that has been shipped a long distance. Out of season produce can be up to two weeks old when purchased at a grocery store.
When preparing frozen vegetables, it is better not to thaw them. Vegetables retain more vitamin C when cooked from their frozen state. Frozen fruits are generally good for up to 12 months, and frozen vegetables are good for 12 to 24 months. Whether you select fresh or frozen, the best advice is to eat a wide variety of both, as some vitamins and minerals are always better than none.
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