Are Fresh Fruits More Nutritious than Frozen?

In 2013, I had the fantastic opportunity to visit Israel with my mom and a group of Christians from Ontario. There were many highlights but one of my fond memories was the food. We feasted on fresh fruits and vegetables every day. I especially enjoyed the citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. They were so fresh and packed with flavour.

Given a choice I prefer fresh fruits and vegetables over frozen. I love to buy my produce in the summer at roadside stands by local farmers. However, living in Canada limits the types of fruits and veggies that we can grow. So I’m happy to have my local grocery store to shop at.

But did you know that because frozen foods are generally sealed right away, nutrients are locked in and so they can actually be more nutritious than fresh produce? (tweet this)

Frozen fruit and vegetables can be healthier, with higher levels of vitamins and cancer fighting antioxidants, than leafy ‘fresh’ produce. Produce that’s been hauled a long distance may lose nutrients on the trip, in storage, and sitting on the grocery store shelves. 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 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.

When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients.

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