Are Frozen Veggies as Healthy as Fresh?

While slight variations may exist, frozen vegetables can be just as healthy as fresh.  Because of their many health benefits, trying and eating at least 5 servings of various fruits and vegetables daily is a good idea.  Choosing convenient and affordable choices like frozen produce can help you reach that goal.

Are Frozen Veggies as Healthy as Fresh?
By Pierre Mouchette | Bits-n-Pieces

Vegetables - Frozen or fresh, are some of the healthiest foods you can eat.  They provide your body with many essential nutrients, including:

• Vitamins A, C, and folate
• Fiber
• Minerals such as calcium, potassium, and iron
• Phytochemicals, or compounds found in plants, like polyphenols and flavonoids.

A vegetable-rich diet lowers the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.  Besides fruits, vegetables have also been linked to a lower mortality risk in people.  While that might sound challenging, buying frozen vegetables can be an easy way to have veggies on hand and add more of them to your diet.  In fact, people who consume frozen fruits and vegetables have a higher overall intake.

What to know about frozen versus fresh vegetables.

Are frozen vegetables as healthy as fresh ones?
Frozen vegetables can be just as healthy as fresh vegetables in their natural form without additives.  Most frozen vegetables are frozen quickly after harvesting.  This helps keep most of their nutrients.  Even so, people’s perception of frozen vegetables is that they are not as healthy as the fresh varieties.  But this is only the case if frozen vegetables are mixed in with other additives or processed heavily before freezing.
 
Are nutrients lost when vegetables are frozen?
Yes, but not as much as other vegetable preservation methods, such as canning.
How freezing affects the nutrient content of vegetables depends on a few things:

• The type of nutrient:  Macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) are generally unaffected by freezing.  The effects of freezing can vary when it comes to micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
  
  
• How fast the vegetables are frozen:  The less time it takes for the fresh vegetables to reach their frozen state, the better.  This is because a faster freezing rate creates smaller ice crystals which are less likely to damage vegetables.  Slower freezing rates lead to larger ice crystals that can pierce vegetables, which may raise nutrient loss.
  
  
• The method by which vegetables are frozen:  Most vegetables are blanched before freezing, which involves placing them in boiling water for a short time.  Blanching helps stop the loss of texture, flavor, and color.  It also kills any harmful bacteria, but it can lead to a loss of some nutrients.  Research is not entirely clear on how much is lost.

 
Nutrition of fresh vs. frozen vegetables
In short, nutrient loss can happen in both fresh and frozen veggies.  But compared to frozen ones, fresh varieties may lose them at a faster rate.

• One study compared the nutritional value of frozen vegetables versus fresh produce stored for five days in the refrigerator.  The study found that fresh produce loses nutritional value the longer it is stored.  It also found that frozen produce was more nutritious than the 5-day kept fresh varieties.
  
  
• Another study analyzed vitamin content in fruits and vegetables, including corn, carrots, and broccoli.  Scientists did not find significant nutritional differences between fresh and frozen vegetables.  In fact, the vitamin content was sometimes higher in frozen foods.  Frozen broccoli, for example, had more riboflavin than fresh.

 
Nutrient loss in frozen vegetables
Freezing vegetables may affect certain nutrients more than others.  For example, a study examining 20 vegetables found that minerals and fiber generally stayed stable after blanching and freezing.  But, antioxidants and some vitamins were more sensitive.  Blanching (before freezing) caused a drop in vitamin C and folic acid, and freezing affected vitamin C and carotenoids. 
Like fresh vegetables, frozen ones may also lose nutrients the longer they are frozen. It is why they should be used within eight months to 1 year of purchase.
 
The pros and cons of picking frozen veggies over fresh ones?
If you are worried about choosing between frozen and fresh vegetables, the following are the pros and cons.  But remember, it is not an all-or-nothing decision.  Most people combine both for convenience and taste.
Pros of frozen vegetables:

• Affordability
• Convenience
• It gives your body essential nutrients
• Longer frozen shelf life, which can equal less waste
• Most can be bought year-round, offering better choices and access to nutrients

Cons:

• Fewer choices compared with fresh, seasonal produce
• Frozen veggies need to be cooked to be eaten, which can limit how you can prepare them
• Texture and taste are different from fresh alternatives
• They may have added salt, preservatives, and artificial ingredients, which takes away from their nutritional quality
• When it comes to getting in your daily dose of vegetables, frozen options are a great way to add various vegetables to your plate.

 
Additives and preservatives in frozen vegetables vs. fresh options
Overall, many frozen vegetables are available without any additives or preservatives.  But checking the nutrition label on frozen vegetables is always a good idea.  That is because some frozen vegetables may have added salt, preservatives, or even artificial color to enhance their appearance.  And, if your frozen vegetables include seasonings or a sauce, you will likely find a long list of additives and preservatives.
 
How do you pick the best-frozen vegetables?
The following tips to help you in choosing frozen vegetables and making them a part of a healthy diet.

Choose plain, frozen vegetables:  Ideally, the ingredients should list only the type of vegetables in the package.  It lets you control the ingredients you add to them while allowing you to prepare and season them according to your liking.

Consider the food grade of frozen products:  If quality, texture, and flavor are essential to you, consider looking for frozen vegetables that have a USDA food grade assigned to them:

• Grade A: This rating means the frozen vegetables are likely to be more colorful, blemish-free, and tender. They also tend to be the most flavorful.
  
  
• Grade B: This rating also suggests high quality, but there may be slight variations in color and tenderness.  The taste may also differ from frozen packages with a Grade A label.
  
  
• Grade C: This group includes vegetables with much more color and flavor variation. Frozen vegetables with their rating are also likely to be more mature and less flavorful.
  
  ​Check the package to ensure it is appropriately sealed:  Avoid packages with tears or signs of thawing.  Choose frozen vegetables towards the back of the freezer that are less exposed to room temperature air.  Other considerations include the cost of vegetables.  Diced, chopped, and other frozen vegetables cut into smaller pieces are cheaper than “fancy-cut” varieties, like julienned carrots.