Eating for Health

Frozen fruits and vegetables pack a nutritional punch.

July 1st, 2017 by: Misty Milioto

According to research recently published in Elsevier's Journal of Food Composition and Analysis,the nutritional value of certain frozen fruits and vegetables is generally equal to fresh produce. In fact, the amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C and folates in some frozen fruits and vegetables were greater than fresh-stored produce.

Conducted by the University of Georgia in partnership with the Frozen Food Foundation, the research compares the nutrient content of eight commonly purchased frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables: blueberries; strawberries; corn; broccoli; cauliflower; green beans; green peas; and spinach. Each fruit and vegetable was analyzed under three conditions: frozen; fresh (on the day of purchase); and fresh-stored (after five days of storage in a kitchen refrigerator).

“As much as I love fresh fruits and veggies, it is sometimes convenient to reach for frozen varieties,” says Maria Muro, publisher of New Orleans Living. “Like most people, I get bogged down with a busy schedule. It’s great to know that frozen foods pack in just as much nutrition.” frozenfoodfacts.org