Fresh VS Frozen Fruits & Veggies

Have you ever wondered if there is a difference between fresh or frozen fruits and veggies nutritionally? A lot of people tend to shy away from frozen fruit and veggies because they think they contain less nutrients than fresh varieties. Whilst fresh is great for you, it doesn’t mean you should bypass the frozen option altogether.

Frozen fruits and veggies are frozen shortly after they are harvested and are generally allowed to fully ripen before they are picked. This means they are at their nutritional peak and are generally packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I think one of the best things about frozen produce is that you get to enjoy your favourites, even when they aren’t in season. Not to mention they are super convenient when you are running low on time and need something to cook quickly!

When it comes to preserving nutrients in your veggies, the way you cook vegetables is of more importance than what state you buy them in. For example, boiling your vegetables in lots of water can cause them to leach out all of their vitamins. I recommend steaming your veggies to preserve the most amount of nutrients.

As I said earlier, one of the best things about frozen fruit and veggies is that you can quickly whip up meals when you’re short on time and use ingredients that may not always be in season.

Some of my favourite ways to use frozen fruit and veggies are:

• Mixed frozen berries as a topping on oats, quinoa porridge and Greek yoghurt
• In smoothies and juices, I love adding tons of different fruits and veggies to these as they are so easy to incorporate
• Adding frozen veggies, such as beans and carrots, to my stirfrys
• Sauté frozen veggies, such as peas or corn, with some olive oil, garlic and chilli

In comparison, fresh fruit and veggies are sometimes picked before they are ripe in order to ensure that they are still fresh by the time that they reach the supermarket. Picking fruit before they are 100% ripe may mean they don’t reach their peak nutritional state. In addition, they can spend up to seven days in storage before you consume them, which can cause them to start losing more vitamins. However the best thing about fresh fruit and veggies is their taste! For me, nothing beats a juicy, ripe mango in the summertime. I recommend buying your fruit and veggies in season as much as possible as you can get the full benefit of their flavour and nutrients!

While I personally think that fresh and local produce is best, frozen fruit and veggies are still a great option when you are short on time but don’t want to sacrifice nutritional quality.

Love, Kayla xx