FREEZILY THE BEST
More nutrients found in frozen veg than in fresh, say consumer experts
FROZEN vegetables are better than fresh as germs have less time to damage them after they are picked and produce is preserved at its peak.
Consumer watchdog Which? says by comparison “fresh” veg can take weeks to reach shops, letting nutrients deteriorate.
Vegetables for freezing are steam blanched straight after picking to kill germs. They are then flash frozen.
Fruit crops too can be picked at perfect ripeness, then also flash frozen – preserving all their goodness. Frozen food is also cheaper, because there is less waste along the supply chain.
Fresh raspberries cost £3 for a 250g punnet, which is £12 per kilo, while 350g of frozen raspberries is £2 – or £5.72 per kilo. And fresh broccoli is £1.51 per kilo while a 900g pack of frozen florets costs just 59p, or 66p per kilo.
Which? say even tinned produce can have more nutrients than fresh, despite losing some vitamins during canning.
That involves heating the food after it is sealed, again killing harmful bacteria.
In the case of lycopene-rich tomatoes, heating increases the amount of the antioxidant that can be absorbed by the body, improving heart health and helping to reduce the risk of cancer.
Antioxidant levels in tinned spinach are also higher than raw, says Which?.
They said: “Frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables are often just as good and can sometimes be better.”
Spokeswoman Natalie Hitchins said: “When you’re at the supermarket, it isn’t always the fresh fruit and veg aisle that offers the most nutritional value.
“Unless you’re lucky enough to pick them straight from the garden, frozen peas keep nutrients more intact.”