Fresh or frozen vegetables: which is better?

Frozen fruit and vegetables can be just as good, and in some cases even better for you than fresh. Senior Dietitian, Victoria Taylor, explains why.

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As soon as fruit and vegetables are picked, they start to lose nutrients. It can take some time for them to be transported to shops, plus time in the shop and then in your kitchen before you eat them. Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen shortly after they&#;ve been harvested and this helps to preserve the nutrients until you eat them. 

Fresh or frozen, fruit and vegetables that don&#;t have any added ingredients are healthy choices. Vegetable dishes like vegetable soups, cauliflower cheese or frozen vegetable mixes with seasonings added can still help you towards your 5-a-day, but are likely to include added salt, and potentially saturated fat too. So check the labels carefully when you&#;re doing your shopping so that you know what else these are adding to your diet.

We should all be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day, but many of us are still not. Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried and juice all count - but juice can only count as one portion a day (150ml is the portion size), and tinned only count if they&#;re tinned in water or juice, without added salt or sugar.

Meet the expert

Victoria Taylor is a registered dietitian with twenty years&#; experience. Her work for the NHS focused on weight management and community programmes for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. At the BHF she advises on diet and nutrition.

Published June

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This article compares the nutrient content of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

However, their nutritional value may differ.

Fresh produce may not always be available, and frozen varieties are a convenient alternative.

Eating more fruits and vegetables may even help protect against heart disease ( 1 ).

They&#;re full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of which can improve health.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods you can eat.

Frozen produce may have more nutrients than fresh, as it is typically picked at peak ripeness. However, some nutrients are lost during processing, and nutrients in both degrade with longer storage.

Harvest, Processing and Transportation

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Most of the fruits and vegetables you buy are harvested by hand, with a smaller amount being harvested by machinery.

However, what happens after that varies between fresh and frozen produce.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Most fresh fruits and vegetables are picked before they are ripe. This allows them time to fully ripen during transportation.

It also gives them less time to develop a full range of vitamins, minerals and natural antioxidants.

In the US, fruits and vegetables may spend anywhere from 3 days to several weeks in transit before arriving at a distribution center.

However, the USDA states that some produce, such as apples and pears, can be stored for up to 12 months under controlled conditions before being sold.

During transportation, fresh produce is generally stored in a chilled, controlled atmosphere and treated with chemicals to prevent spoiling.

Once they reach the supermarket, fruits and vegetables may spend an additional 1&#;3 days on display. They&#;re then stored in people&#;s homes for up to 7 days before being eaten.

Bottom Line:

Fresh fruit and vegetables are often picked before they are fully ripe. Transportation and storage can take anywhere from 3 days and up to 12 months for some types of produce.

Frozen Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that will be frozen are generally picked at peak ripeness, when they&#;re the most nutritious.

Once harvested, the vegetables are often washed, blanched, cut, frozen and packaged within a few hours.

Fruits tend not to undergo blanching, as this can greatly affect their texture.

Instead, they can be treated with ascorbic acid (a form of vitamin C) or added sugar to prevent spoiling.

Usually, no chemicals are added to produce before freezing.

Bottom Line:

Frozen fruit and vegetables are generally picked at peak ripeness. They are often washed, blanched, frozen and packaged within a few hours of being harvested.

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