by Laura Dunkley

Created on: May 16, 2008

For many years the general consensus was that fresh vegetables were healthier than processed vegetables however studies have shown that frozen vegetables can be as healthy as or even healthier than fresh. Simply browsing through a nutrient analysis for fresh and frozen vegetables indicate comparable values with sometimes frozen vegetables edging out fresh.

Before the advent of modern processing practices, most produce was grown locally and were at the market or in the pot within 24 to 48 hours. We canned' summer vegetables at home to use in the winter or stored them in the root cellar. What was canned lost some of their nutrients because of the high temperatures used in canning. Root vegetables stored in the cellar lost more nutrients the longer they were stored.

Produce is shipped from around the globe and from harvest to your pot can take up to two weeks losing nutrients along the way. In transit, to local distribution points, to the retailers and to the point of sale, waiting to be purchased and then into the pot, nutrients are lost at each step especially vitamin C, some B vitamins and carotene.

Enter modern food processing where vegetables are washed, blanched and frozen within hours of harvesting, sometimes in the field, thus preserving most of their nutrients. In commercial freezing, produce is not cooked for long periods of time at high temperatures but to preserve color, vegetables are immersed in vats of boiling water for a few seconds or minutes to preserve color, texture and to make peeling easier prior to flash freezing locking in the minerals and vitamins. The proximity of the freezing process to the fields means that vegetables can be picked at the peak of their ripeness ensuring optimal nutrition.
In order to get the best of your fruits and vegetables grow your own but that is not realistic, so whenever possible, purchase local produce that has been in the system for only a few days from harvest to point of sale and freeze your own. Check out the USDA web site to learn about safe canning and preserving methods. It should be noted that the longer produce is kept whether it is frozen or not the nutritional value decreases.

Remember according to the USDA and the American Dietetics Association the important thing is to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day whether fresh, frozen or even canned. The majority of dietitians as well as qualified and credentialed food professionals will recommend vegetables regardless of them being fresh, frozen or canned although fresh can be more aesthetically pleasing. It all boils down to your personal preference.

Learn more about this author, Laura Dunkley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.