What's healthier: fresh or frozen produce? Here's what nutritionists say.

While frozen produce often gets a bad rap, research shows it can often be just as healthy—if not healthier—than fresh produce.

With competitive price and timely delivery, Fortune Foods sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

In a study comparing the nutritional content of fresh and frozen corn, carrots, broccoli, spinach, peas, green beans, strawberries, and blueberries, researchers found that the vitamins in frozen produce are "comparable to and occasionally higher" than their fresh counterparts. Other studies have corroborated the idea that the only major nutritional difference between frozen and fresh produce is when refrigerated fresh produce loses nutrients after a few days.

"Public perception is that frozen foods are bad, and that they're less nutritious because they're more processed,” says Caroline Thomason, a Washington, D.C.-based dietitian. “But that's actually not true."

(Some vitamins and minerals simply work better when eaten together.)

Here's what nutrition experts want consumers to know about the difference between frozen and fresh produce, and when you should be consuming them.

The benefits of frozen produce

Produce is most nutritious when picked at peak ripeness, according to experts. But when fruits and vegetables are harvested depends on the form in which they will be sold.

Fresh produce sold in grocery stores is usually picked before peak ripeness to ensure that it’s not rotten by the time it hits your shopping cart. This particular journey from farm to table could take a week or two, Thomason says.

Frozen produce, on the other hand, is picked at or around peak ripeness, then blanched and packaged in a nitrogen atmosphere a few hours later, which helps preserve nutrients.

(The 5,000-Year Secret History of the Watermelon)

"Freezing that produce locks in those nutrients, so we see all the vitamins and antioxidants remain stable for a long period of time," says Kylie Sakaida, dietitian and author of the cookbook So Easy, So Good.

What about the benefits of fresh produce?

Despite the longer transportation time of fresh grocery store produce, it still contains plenty of nutrients. But when compared to farmers market produce, the latter can sometimes have even more benefits.

('Brain food’ is real. Here’s what to eat to keep it healthy and strong.)

Because locally grown fruits and vegetables typically travel a shorter distance from the farm to the market than grocery store produce—around 50 miles versus across the country or even internationally—they’re usually harvested at peak ripeness.

When you’re shopping for produce at the farmers market, "it's probably been a day or two since the farmers picked it, so it's really, really fresh," Thomason says. "It also depends on the farms, but [the produce] is not mass-produced. So you have healthier soil, you have more nutrients in the soil, which also translates to more nutrient density in the produce that you're buying."

(Is a Tomato a Fruit? It Depends on How You Slice It)

Although farmers markets have a reputation of being expensive, Thomason notes that many of them actually accept SNAP benefits for those with low or no incomes.

Is frozen produce processed?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a processed food as one that has gone through any changes to its natural state. That can include procedures like washing, cutting, chopping, freezing, pasteurizing, cooking, or packaging, to name a few.

(How ultra-processed food harms the body and brain.)

The common mindset is that fresh and "natural" foods are always healthier than processed ones. But it's not quite that simple, and nutrition experts argue that there's a place for varying levels of processing. That's why researchers nearly two decades ago introduced the NOVA classification system, which splits foods into four groups: unprocessed or minimally processed foods, like fresh and frozen produce and meats; processed culinary ingredients, like olive oil and honey; processed foods, like bread and canned fish; and ultra-processed foods, like sugary beverages, chips, candy, and cookies.

Under this classification system, frozen produce is considered minimally processed, but health experts note that isn't a reason for panic.

"People have this idea that fresh is always best, or natural is always best, which [means] the less processing, the better,” says Sakaida. "There's a lot of fear-based messaging that oversimplifies the issue of healthy eating, which can lead to unsustainable behaviors."

Should you be eating more frozen produce?

Despite this information, experts don't consider there to be one best way to consume fruits and vegetables.

"I wouldn't say, 'Only choose frozen broccoli because it's going to retain its nutritional value,’" Thomason says. "That is an accurate statement—it is going to retain its nutritional value. But there are so many reasons why you might choose fresh: it tastes better, [has] a better texture."

Adding more frozen produce to your diet is generally a good idea, especially if you’re looking to save money or want to enjoy certain produce outside of its season. But overall, frozen, grocery store, and farmers market produce all offer health benefits and can be part of a well-rounded diet.

"I utilize all of them," says Sakaida, whose upcoming cookbook features recipes that incorporate both fresh and frozen ingredients. "I think that they all have a place in our diet if we can access them…I don't think [frozen] should be viewed as lesser—they just have different uses."

Both dietitians agree that debunking the myth that frozen produce isn't good for you is an important step in combating the “all-or-nothing” approach that many people have when it comes to healthy eating.

"It's not that one is better or worse," says Thomason. "At the end of the day, whether you're getting frozen or fresh produce, you're still getting produce, and that is something we should celebrate."

This blog post is written by dietetic intern, Madeline Lowney.

I used to completely overlook frozen produce. That changed when I started working at a strawberry company, and, suddenly, had more strawberries than I could ever eat and a dilemma:

WHAT TO DO WITH THEM ALL?

Besides giving them away to everyone and anyone, my solution was to freeze them.

That led me to endless experimentation with frozen fruits–jams, salad dressings, smoothies, and everything in-between–and a new appreciation for frozen fruits and vegetables.

THERE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO LOVE FROZEN FRUIT AND VEGGIES.

It’s a common misconception that frozen produce is inferior to fresh fruit and vegetables.

The company is the world’s best Are Frozen Fruits And Vegetables As Good As Fresh supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Additional reading:
Enhancing multilevel tea leaf recognition based on improved ...
Shipping Container Home Guide: Pros, Cons & Expert Tips | Field Mag
How to Save Money When Buying Chlorine Dioxide Water Purification Tablets

In reality, frozen fruit and veggies are just as amazing as fresh fruits and vegetables, and have some unique benefits.

1. They’re always in season

There is no “best” fruit or vegetable for health (check out my post on this here), because each fruit and vegetable brings its own set of nutritional benefits: antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables allows you to consume a balanced diet, without stressing about the exact fruit or vegetables you’re choosing at every single meal.

This is where frozen fruit and vegetables come in. You can easily toss in a handful of blueberries in your yogurt or add some frozen broccoli to a stir fry to increase variety in your meals.

Most produce isn’t grown locally year-round. This means that fresh varieties will be transported from other regions post-harvest, or simply unavailable, and cost more due to both low supply, and transportation costs. Plus, taste and nutrition often decline when produce is transported this way.

When frozen, you get much more diversity. Local and seasonal produce is grown when local climate permits, then frozen at peak freshness to be used all year round.

Consider blueberries: Maine wild blueberries can be grown in the late summer, then frozen to be enjoyed all year round. On the flip side, fresh blueberries are found in New England only in late summer (that is why most berries sold fresh come transported from California, Mexico, or Florida during colder months – and will often be more expensive to be transported from farther away!).

2. They can simplify meal and snack prep

Frozen fruit and veggies can even streamline meal prep. They offer pre-sliced and/or trimmed options that are ready to toss into your stir fry, smoothie, pasta, or ice cream bowl–no dirtying a cutting board, peeling, or rinsing required! 

Instead of wasting time de-stemming and chopping kale, frozen kale comes pre-chopped and ready to go. How’s that for easy?!

Plus, frozen produce is typically cheaper than fresh – meaning that while pre-chopped, fresh kale may be more expensive, pre-chopped frozen kale is still a relatively cheaper option.

Try adding frozen spinach to a smoothie – you can even prep smoothie ingredients ahead of time and store them in your freezer when ready to blend.

Or, add pre-cut veggie blends to pasta, stir fries or even canned soups for fast, filling meals.

3. They keep food cost and food waste low

Who’s been there: you buy a carton of $10 strawberries that looked amazing at the store, but after a few days, they start going bad before you’ve even had a chance to eat them. Aaaaand there goes $10.

Buying frozen produce is a great way to avoid this dilemma. The freezing process “freezes” the ripening process, preventing them from degrading over time. Frozen fruit and vegetables can last for months in your freezer.

Multiple studies on food waste have shown significantly less food waste when frozen fruits and vegetables are purchased (vs. their conventional counterparts), as reported by a Cornell review.

This helps farmers, too, as they’re able to freeze surplus from large harvests. To understand this concept, I reference back to my home garden’s massive peach tree, which produced dozens of peaches that were all ripe at the same time. Instead of attempting to all of those peaches in one week, my family slices and freezes them to enjoy year-round. Food waste – eliminated.

Lastly, frozen fruit and vegetables are cost saving due to their lower prices, as well! Prices for out of season fruit – like  strawberries in the winter – can often nearly double vs. seasonal pricing.

This means that the most affordable ways to eat produce are to 1) buy frozen, 2) buy seasonally, or 3) buy seasonally and freeze for later use.

4. Great way to maintain flavor, freshness, and nutrients

From a nutrition standpoint, frozen fruit or vegetables are comparable to conventional counterparts. Freezing prevents the degradation of vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants like beta-carotene and flavonoids. This means you get fruit and vegetables with the same (and sometimes greater, depending on storage time) nutrient benefits as fresh.

Plus, freezing is one of the few preservation methods that does not involve the addition of salt or sugar, or the removal of water, (like canning, pickling, and drying), meaning that it doesn’t alter the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, either.

When fruit and vegetables are frozen, the water contained within their plant cells crystallizes as ice, breaking their cell walls. This changes the texture of frozen produce, but doesn’t affect its flavor, freshness or nutrient profile.

Not only are frozen fruit and vegetables just as nutritious as fresh, but often, they taste better and retain more nutrients too.

Instead of buying out of season blueberries in the winter – that won’t taste as great and will lose some of their nutrients during transport from where they’re grown and in season – frozen blueberries are picked and preserved right at their peak. This means they taste just as good and offer the same nutrients as fresh, in-season blueberries.

5. Endless recipe possibilities

There are so many different things you can make with frozen fruit and veg.

Instead of adding ice to a smoothie, adding frozen fruit results in a refreshingly-cold smoothie that is easy to blend and comes out super thick. Or, try neutral-tasting frozen veg like kale, spinach, cauliflower and zucchini. They help to make smoothies thick, but you can’t taste them once blended.

And did you know: the lower the water content of your fruit, the more creamy it will be when it freezes. This means that fruit like bananas, coconut, and mangos – which are less than 80% water – will be much smoother and creamier in smoothies than hydrating fruits like watermelon or citrus.

Additionally, because water from frozen fruit can escape the fruit’s cell walls, frozen fruit adds a great juiciness to baked goods and sauces. Use it to add flavor your a bowl of cereal, a yogurt parfait, or even in banana bread.

And lastly, while simply microwaving frozen veg often results in a mushy texture, don’t give up on frozen veg just yet. Try drizzling your frozen veggies with olive and sautéing or roasting them. They end up just as crispy as fresh!

You can use a frozen pea and carrot blend in fried rice, or quickly whip up a batch of roasted frozen broccoli to pair with any meal.

The bottom line:

Frozen fruit and vegetables are a great option. They’re less expensive, longer lasting, and they often have as many nutrients and as much flavor as fresh.

Don’t let unnecessary fear mongering make you feel like you only have to buy fresh produce. Frozen is a great option too.

Written by Dietetic Intern, Madeline Lowney

Madeline is a dietetic intern and nutrition and dietetics graduate student at New York University, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and dietetics from New York University.

Although originally from Massachusetts, she has experience at Manhattan michelin-bib farm-to-table restaurant abcV, and New Jersey-based Oishii Japanese berry vertical farm. Her down-to-earth upbringing emphasizing gardening, alongside her fascination with biochemistry, inspired her passion to use evidence-based nutrition to promote physical and mental health.

Outside of nutrition, she loves to hike, spend time with her dogs (a cockapoo and rescue golden-retriever-mix).

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Frozen Vegetables In Bulk.