The question of whether fresh or frozen meals are more healthy has been debated for a long time, and the conclusion may surprise you!
No other food can compare to the flavor of freshly picked fruits and vegetables. However, in certain situations, fresh foods are just not available, and in others, you may simply prefer the convenience of having pre-packaged meals on hand for times when you are short on time. Fortunately, the food business has progressed significantly in terms of producing frozen meals that are nutritious and do not include excessive levels of salt or preservatives. Some research has even revealed that purchasing frozen food may actually be somewhat healthier than purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables! Let's take a look at why this is the case, since it may come as a surprise at first glance.
Foods that are freshly prepared vs those that are frozen
It is possible that our instincts tell us that fresh fruit is usually the preferable option, but in certain cases, this is not the case. The nutritional content of food is determined by a variety of factors. It is common for grocery store fresh food to be picked before it has had enough time to mature fully and develop its highest nutritional value. In order to guarantee that the fruits and vegetables can be transported thousands of kilometers, for days or even weeks, without turning bad, this is done on purpose. While this seems to be a wonderful idea in principle, when you pick a fruit or vegetable before it is completely mature, the nutritious value of the fruit or vegetable starts to degrade instantly. Because of the processing involved, by the time your food reaches your plate, its nutritious content has been somewhat diminished.
Frozen foods, on the other hand, are harvested when they are completely ripe and frozen practically immediately after harvesting to avoid nutritional loss during storage. This is referred to as the "rapid freeze" procedure. While it is true that the freezing process causes certain nutrients to decay, the vast majority of the nutrients are virtually sealed throughout the freezing process. Frozen foods have been shown to be healthier when compared to fresh goods that have been brought by truck, aircraft, or boat and have been resting on store shelves for extended periods of time.
One research comparing frozen vs fresh vegetables discovered that frozen broccoli had greater quantities of beta-carotene and vitamin C than fresh broccoli. Similarly, frozen blueberries had larger concentrations of polyphenols and anthocyanins than fresh blueberries. Brussels sprouts also demonstrated greater concentrations of all nutrients than other vegetables.
However, despite all of these parallels, there is little question that eating fruits and vegetables on a regular basis is helpful to your health, regardless of whether they are frozen or freshly harvested. The amount of nutrients in your meal is determined by a variety of circumstances, and the difference is just marginal. Shopping at local farmer's markets, growing your own food in a backyard garden, and eating according to the seasons are all excellent options for improving your nutrition.
How to Prepare Plant-Based Meals in Your Own Kitchen!
Lowering your meat consumption and increasing your plant-based food intake has been shown to improve chronic inflammation, heart health, emotional well-being, fitness goals, nutritional requirements, allergies, gastrointestinal health, and other health issues! Aside from acne, hormone imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, dairy intake has been related to a variety of other health concerns. It also has other negative effects.
In order to reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and improve your health, we highly recommend that you download the Food Monster App. With over 15,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource available, and it can help you reduce your environmental footprint while also saving animals and improving your health. Along with that, we urge you to learn about the environmental and health advantages of a plant-based diet while you're at it.
Listed below are some resources to help you get started:
- Meal Plans for Vegans on a Weekly Basis
- Plant-Based Health Information and Resources
- Recipes & Food Made From Plants
- Plant-Based Nutrition Resources are available on the internet.
- This book is the ultimate resource for plant-based nutrition, and it includes recipes that are both delicious and economical.
- Recipes with a lot of protein that are plant-based
- Meal Preparation using Plant-Based Ingredients
