Frozen Veggies Are Better For You Than Fresh

I have broccoli in the freezer and fresh broccoli in my refrigerator as I am writing this. Unfortunately, the broccoli in the fridge has been sitting there for two days already. I am notorious for leaving veggies in my fridge. So I wanted to figure out if there was any nutritional advantage to fresh versus frozen. After all, frozen is cheaper and doesn't go bad.

It sounds like a win-win to me, but is frozen as healthy as fresh?

After doing some research, I was shocked to see that frozen is as healthy, if not more beneficial, than fresh veggies (1,2). Yes, you read that correctly. Frozen vegetables are SUPERIOR to fresh vegetables.

Frozen Is Better
Frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and flash frozen, locking in essential nutrients (1,2). In contrast, fresh vegetables are picked at a less mature, less nutrient-dense stage to last longer during transportation.

Granted, frozen vegetables are blanched before freezing, reducing the amount of vitamin C levels. But most experts agree that the nutrient loss from blanching doesn't compare to the loss of nutrients during transportation in fresh vegetables (3).

"If you pick vegetables at their ripeness peak, they've got their greatest abundance of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals – and that can be anywhere between 10% and 50% more than something that is commercially harvested as fresh."
-Gene Lester, plant physiologist and national program leader for the US Department of Agriculture

"When you compare fresh string beans in a store versus frozen, frozen will almost always be higher in nutrient content because they were picked and processed at the highest point of quality and then frozen to preserve them."
-Mario G. Ferruzzi, a professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University.

It's Not As Fresh As You Think
According to Lester, vegetables can be in a warehouse for 1-3 days before being placed on a truck for another 3-5 days before arriving in the store. From there, they will sit for another 1-3 days before purchasing. And let's be honest, most of us aren't eating all of our vegetables in the next one to two days. So the "fresh" veggies you bought are already a week old.

But what is wrong with week-old veggies Erik?

The nutrients in fresh produce start to degrade when they are exposed to light, heat, and oxygen, three things that every supermarket has. In contrast, frozen vegetables lose minimal nutrients in the freezer.

How to Cook Frozen Vegetables
Have I convinced you to buy frozen veggies this week?

If so, give my go-to recipe a try (video here)

• I bake my veggies at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper.

• If I have extra time, I will add in some garlic cloves, oregano, and basil.

When I am in a time pinch, I microwave my veggies in a glass container or bowl. You can minimize the loss of nutrient loss by cooking your vegetables for less time in lower amounts of water. Nutrient loss becomes higher as cooking time and water volume increase (4). However, the loss is still minimal and shouldn’t deter you from using the microwave (5).

Farm to Table Is Best
Nevertheless, nothing can replace fresh veggies from your local farmer's market. These farm-to-table vegetables have the highest nutrient quality if eaten in one to two days of purchase. However, these vegetables can be expensive and inaccessible. Thus, frozen vegetables are a viable alternative due to their low cost, long shelf life, and nutrient density.

References
1. Bouzari A, Holstege D, Barrett DM. Vitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Jan 28;63(3):957-62. doi: 10.1021/jf5058793. Epub 2015 Jan 13. PMID: 25526594.
2. Bouzari A, Holstege D, Barrett DM. Mineral, fiber, and total phenolic retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Jan 28;63(3):951-6. doi: 10.1021/jf504890k. Epub 2015 Jan 13. PMID: 25525668.

3. Drayer, Lisa. Why Frozen Fruit and Veggies May Be Better for You than Fresh, CNN, 31 May 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/30/health/frozen-fruit-vegetables-drayer-food/index.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2021.

4. López-Berenguer C, Carvajal M, Moreno DA, García-Viguera C. Effects of microwave cooking conditions on bioactive compounds present in broccoli inflorescences. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Nov 28;55(24):10001-7. doi: 10.1021/jf071680t. Epub 2007 Nov 3. PMID: 17979232.

5. Cross GA, Fung DY. The effect of microwaves on nutrient value of foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1982;16(4):355-81. doi: 10.1080/10408398209527340. PMID: 7047080.