Fresh vegetables and fruits are the types Best food for health that we should eat.
They are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - all of which help improve health.
Eat lots of green vegetables and fruits Can also help fight heart disease .
Fresh and clean products are not always available, and frozen varieties seem to be a more convenient alternative.
However, their nutritional value may be different.
This article aims to compare the nutritional value of fresh vegetables and frozen vegetables
Harvesting, processing and transportation
Most types of vegetables that we buy are harvested by hand, a few are harvested by machine.
However, the stage takes place after that there is a difference between fresh and frozen products.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Most fruits and vegetables are harvested before maturing. This allows them to ripen during transport.
This also makes them have less time to develop enough natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
In the US, fruits and vegetables can be harvested and stored somewhere from 3 days to several weeks before they reach the distribution center.
However claims that some products, such as apples and pears, can be stored for 12 months under controlled conditions before being marketed.
During transport, fresh and clean products are usually stored in chilled and controlled conditions, treated with chemicals to avoid damage.
When arriving at the supermarket, vegetables can take an additional 1-3 days to display. They will then be kept in the home for about 7 days before eating.
Summary: Fresh vegetables are usually harvested before they are fully cooked. Shipping and storage can take from 3 days to 12 months for some types of products.
Frozen vegetables
Fruits and vegetables used to keep frozen are often chosen when they reach maturity, when they have the most nutrients.
After harvest, vegetables are often washed, processed, cut, frozen and packaged within a few hours.
Fruits are not blanched, as this may affect their texture.
Instead, they can be processed (1 form of vitamin C) or add sugar to prevent damage.
Usually no chemicals are added before freezing.
Summary: Frozen vegetables are often harvested when ripe. They are often washed, blanched, frozen and packaged within a few hours after harvest.
Some vitamins are lost during the processing of frozen products
In general, freezing helps maintain the nutrient content of fruits and vegetables.
However, some nutrients are decomposed when frozen products are stored for longer than one year .
Some nutrients are also lost during the process . In fact, nutrient loss occurs the most at this stage.
The process of blanching of food takes place before freezing, which is to let the product into boiling water for a short period of time - usually a few minutes.
Do this to kill harmful bacteria and prevent loss of flavor, color and texture. However, it also leads to the loss of water-soluble nutrients, such as vitamin B and vitamin C.
However, this does not apply to frozen fruits, as they are not blanched.
The level of nutrient loss varies, depending on the type of vegetable and blanching time. Usually, ranges from 10-80%, about 50% on average .
One study showed that blanching reduces the activity of water-soluble antioxidants in peas by about 30%, about 50% in spinach. However, these levels do not change during storage at −4 ° F or −20 ° C .
It can be said that some studies also show that frozen products can maintain their antioxidant levels despite losing water-soluble vitamins .
Summary: The result of blanching of food leads to the loss of some antioxidants, vitamin B and vitamin C. However, nutrition levels remain stable after freezing food.
Nutrients in fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits are reduced during storage
Immediately after harvest, fruits and vegetables begin to lose moisture, risking damage and loss of nutrients.
One study showed nutrient depletion after 3 days of food being frozen, when the values fell below the level of frozen ones. This is quite common in some soft fruits .
Vitamin C in green vegetables begins to drop immediately after harvest and continues to decrease during storage .
For example, green beans have been shown to lose up to 51% of vitamin C within the first 24-48 hours after harvest .
In vegetables kept and chilled or at room temperature, antioxidant activity is reduced .
However, although vitamin C can easily be lost during storage but antioxidants such as and can increase again.
This can happen because some fruits continue to ripen .
Summary: Some vitamins and antioxidants start to diminish immediately after harvest. Therefore, it is best to eat fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as possible.
Fresh and frozen: Which is more nutritious?
The results from comparing the nutritional content of fresh and frozen products are slightly different.
This is because some studies use freshly harvested fresh products, eliminating the effects of storage and shipping time, while others use supermarket products.
In addition, differences in processing and measurement methods can also affect results.
However, in general, the evidence that freezing can maintain the nutritional value and nutritional content of fresh and frozen products is similar .
When studies report reports of reduced nutrients in some frozen products, this number is often small .
Moreover, the content of vitamin A, carotenoid, vitamin E, minerals and fiber in fresh and frozen products is the same. They are not affected by blurring .
Studies comparing products in supermarkets with frozen products - like peas, green beans, carrots, spinach and broccoli - shows that antioxidant activity and nutrient content are similar .
Summary: Frozen products have the same nutritional content as fresh and clean products. When nutrient intake is reduced following reports in frozen foods, this number is often very small
Frozen products may contain more vitamin C
Frozen products may contain higher levels of nutrients.
This is often seen in studies comparing frozen products to some fresh products but have been stored for several days at home.
For example, frozen peas or spinach may have more vitamin C than peas bought at supermarkets or spinach that have been left at home for several days .
For some fruits, dry cooling makes higher levels of vitamin C when comparing some other fresh fruits .
In addition, a study found that the freezing process of fresh products can increase the amount of fiber by making it more soluble .
Summary: Frozen fruits and vegetables may have higher levels of vitamin C than products stored at home for several days.
Main message
Fresh fruits and vegetables are taken directly from the farm or home garden is of the highest quality.
However, if you shop at a supermarket, frozen products are equally valuable, or in some cases, may have more nutrient content than fresh products.
Finally, frozen vegetables are convenient, cost-effective compared to fresh produce.
The best way is to choose a combination of fresh and frozen items to ensure that you get the best nutrient content for the product.
