Over the years, frozen vegetables have gotten a bad rap. If you want all of the nutrients in vegetables, fresh seemed to be the way go. Although this may sound most logical, it may not be completely true.

Vegetables that are fresh tend to sit for an extended period of time and they lose a large percentage of their nutrients. Not only does length of time affect the nutrient density of vegetables, but so does temperature. Unlike frozen vegetables, fresh vegetables are more susceptible to a sudden increase or decrease in temperature and humidity, which can cause the vegetables to lose nutrients as well.

Frozen vegetables normally hold more nutritional value because they are immediately frozen after they are grown. This preserves the nutrients in the vegetables right from the start and lets the vegetables store the nutrients for an extended period of time. A perfect example of this would be bread. If you keep bread out, it will only last for a few days before becoming moldy or stale. If you put bread in the freezer, it can last for weeks.

Now, don’t be afraid to eat fresh vegetables because of the lack of nutrients. They still have plenty of nutritional value. Just realize that frozen vegetables tend to be more healthy for us, UNLESS the fresh vegetables are immediately consumed after being purchased. You may be asking if canned vegetables are healthier than fresh as well since the nutrients are preserved in a container. Due to a heating process that takes place after the vegetables are canned, the nutritional value tends to be lost. Canned vegetables also contain additional sodium, making them less nutritious. The moral of this story, frozen is just as good if not better than fresh. Just make sure you don’t overcook your vegetables if you want your vegetables to benefit you.

-Tom