Fresh Frozen Canned

Fresh vegetables are not always higher in nutrient value than frozen or canned. Fresh vegetables are highest in nutrients when they are picked at the peak of their ripeness and eaten shortly thereafter. That is why it is so good to purchase fresh produce locally or to grow a garden.

Fresh

Have you ever noticed that very often bananas are green when picked? Tomatoes? Pears? Very often, to preserve the food, it is picked before it is actually ripe. In that case, it has never had the opportunity to completely develop all of its flavor and nutrients naturally on the vine. After being picked fresh produce will only decrease in nutrient value, its time for increasing is over. Very often, a lot of produce at the supermarket is not high in nutrient value simply because it was picked before being completely ripened. Even if a fruits or vegetables were harvested at their optimum ripeness, it will be several days to weeks in storage before they are purchased in the local supermarket. By that time it has lost a considerable amount of nutrients and flavor.

Frozen

Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at optimum freshness. So they are allowed to completely ripen before they are harvested. Then they are immediately frozen-sometimes withing hours of being picked. The disadvantage is that often vegetables and fruits are peeled and blanched. Peeling is necessary for proper freezing, but a lot of nutrients is lost in the skin of the produce (i.e. carrots, peaches). Blanching is simply a 1-5 minute water bath in boiling water. It stops the enzymes in the fruits or vegetables and keeps them from turning brown or dry once frozen. It is an important step in the freezing process, but it also destroys some nutrients. Even so, often frozen vegetables that are higher in nutrient value than fresh vegetables.

Frozen vegetables may be higher in nutrient value than non-local produce, however it is possible that shipments have been frozen and thawed. Bags that are frozen should have loose moving contents. A hard glob of produce is an indicator that the bag has thawed at some point and then refrozen. It is a good idea to feel the bags before making a purchase.

Canned

Canned fruits and vegetables, like frozen fruits and vegetables are harvested at their optimum ripeness and processed within hours to days. So much of the nutrients of canned vegetables is retained. Canned produce is often preserved in high amounts of salt or sugar which, although the nutrients of the vegetable is not lost, the other additives in the can may be undesirable. Also, the canning process takes high amounts of heat which overcooks the produce. That cooking causes a lot of the nutrients to leave the produce, making the juices in the can highly nutritious. It is not a bad idea to purchase canned produce with no salt or sugar added because the nutrients of those vegetables can be preserved in that can indefinitely--just be sure to drink the juices too!

What Causes Vitamins to Escape Food?

Air-Fresh and Frozen Veggies are Vulnerable

Light-Fresh Veggies are Vulnerable/Clear glass canned goods are vulnerable

Heat-Canned and cooked vegetables are vulnerable