25 August 2012

Do you eat more frozen vegies than fresh?

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vegetables

One of the things I ask my clients when i am reviewing their food diary is are veggies fresh or frozen?

This is a fine line so we’ll consider all the pros and cons for both. I am of the opinion that fresh is always best, but how do we determine that aspect along with vitamins, nutrients and enzymes when we are making the decision to buy fresh or frozen?

Vitamins: from the moment fruit and vegies are picked they are losing valuable nutrients.

Frozen food is picked at the time of maximum ripeness for its peak nutritional content.

Fresh commercial fruit and vegies are picked prior to ripeness for transportation around the country and storage on market shelves.

A recent test conducted by the University of Western Sydney has concluded that there is very little difference between vitamins and minerals in fresh and frozen vegies. Fresh vegetables had higher amounts of calcium and potassium, whereas vitamin C in the frozen vegies proved to have almost twice as much as the fresh produce.

Enzymes: All fruit and vegetables are packed with digestive enzymes, which are harmed when cooked.

Frozen vegies are flash blanched in hot water to kill germs and bugs before snap freezing. This process can destroy the enzymes that our bodies need to digest the food and take in the nutrients.

Fresh food you can eat raw, or have control over the way you cook it to maximize the health benefits.

Other things to take into consideration between the two are:

Where is the food coming from? Companies that produce frozen vegies are about profits. In our supermarket freezer I am seeing more products coming out of overseas countries such as China and Vietnam, which means that they do not have to comply with Australian agricultural standards of farming. We have no idea what pesticides or fertilisers they are using, and at what levels.

The alternative option is locally produced fresh fruit and veg bought from the local farmers market. Not only are you supporting Aussie farmers, you also have a closer connection to the food chain.

In summary, I am still of the opinion that fresh is always best, taking into account the following considerations:

— Buy locally grown produce, and organic where possible, for maximum vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.

— Shop at least weekly for your fruit and vegies.

— Grow your own.

By Tanya Gendle
Strive Holistic Personal Training.

References

http://health.ninemsn.com.au/whatsgoodforyou/theshow/694154/whats-better-for-you-151-fresh-
or-frozen-food

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/
fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo

http://thyroid.about.com/library/news/blenzymes.htm

[Photos by brendahallowes and stevendepolo CC BY 2.0]

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fresh ones are always great with no preservatives added in them. But the convenience provided by the frozen ones gives a catch.

trevar said :

m_ratt said :

So the advertiser is the local farmer’s markets?

I think it’s clear that the advertiser is Tanya Gendle from Strive Personal Training. Not prominently marked, perhaps, but I don’t think it’s unclear who the advertiser is.

I have absolutely no idea how I missed that before making my previous post.

m_ratt said :

So the advertiser is the local farmer’s markets?

I think it’s clear that the advertiser is Tanya Gendle from Strive Personal Training. Not prominently marked, perhaps, but I don’t think it’s unclear who the advertiser is.

I have only two reasons really for choosing to get most of our food fresh and local, and that’s the flavour and texture. The health benefits are in dispute, but with one exception, the flavour and texture of frozen vegetables is utterly intolerable. A frozen corn kernel tastes nothing like a fresh one, and carrots turn rubbery after freezing. Broccoli that’s been frozen tastes like dog vomit smells, and cauliflower is half as bad as that (which is also unacceptable). The exception is peas, which seem to taste better after freezing.

Even fresh vegetables that have travelled thousands of kilometres are much better in flavour and texture than frozen, so I will tolerate Colesworths attempts at freshness when it’s convenient. At the same time, I never bother looking for organic certification. The flavour and texture is much the same, and without any verifiable health benefits I won’t spend the extra.

As for local, I look for it, but if I want galangal, I’ll have galangal! Just because it can’t possibly have been grown locally, doesn’t mean I’m going to miss out.

What isn’t addressed by the OP is WHY most ppl buy frozen veggies – there is a big issue in Australia and many first world countries with food wastage, and for those who live alone / with only 1 other person if you try and buy fresh all the time you end up wasting a lot of food every single week unless you are really anal about the amounts and frequency you shop, which for most of us is pretty hard to maintain properly with a busy lifestyle. Fact is buying frozen vegies cuts down on wastage almost to nothing, as you only use the amount you need each time and the rest stays frozen preventing it from going off. I’m not saying frozen vegies are better than fresh, but can we at least take into account that there are other benefits from frozen vegies, that are just as important to consider.

Want hot(ish) vege without denaturing the enzymes? Heat them to about 55C-60C.

Jethro said :

So, you don’t get to even choose the veges from a list of what prdouce is available?

Hmmm. I’ve always avoided them because I like to choose my own fruit and veges, but knowing you don’t even get to choose what fruit and veges you receive is even less of a reason to use them.

I had a look at their website, and it appears you can order exactly what you want in whatever quantity you want, with a $30 minimum order. Some of the prices seem expensive even for things in season – e.g. broccoli at $10.50/kg. http://www.vegiestoyourdoor.com.au//vegetables

To answer the OP’s question, yes – I use a combination of home-grown and supermarket vegetables, and frozen stirfry mix. I used to love to cook, but after 25 years plus of doing so, I’m tired of it and have little interest in cooking during the week. Vegetable stirfries are quick and easy when you don’t have to chop all the vegetables. Plus they’re not wasted if I decide to make something else.

Elizabethany said :

Darkfalz said :

I thinking of trying Vegies to your door, has anyone had experience with their boxes in terms of value / freshness?

We did the boxes for a while and found that they were convienient, fresh and value for money. You tended to get smaller produce, so no monsterous apples. There were two reasons we cancelled.

The first was that we couldn’t get through the amount in the box in a week before the next box came, but there wasn’t enough to last us a fortnight. If you are healthier that us that probably wont be an issue. We are now considering getting it again now that our son has started to eat more solids, especially fruit.

The second was they didn’t have mushrooms in the box frequently enough to cope with my mushroom addiction.

Overall, I would still recommend them. It was entertaining to open the box to see what we got each week, with surprises often (such as an artichoke or a pineapple). It helped us get out of a rut with always having the same vegies, and got us to try new ones, such as the artichoke, eggplant and tangelo. It also includes a recipe each week that often uses the more obscure vegies in the box for those of use who don’t know where to start with them.

So, you don’t get to even choose the veges from a list of what prdouce is available?

Hmmm. I’ve always avoided them because I like to choose my own fruit and veges, but knowing you don’t even get to choose what fruit and veges you receive is even less of a reason to use them.

Farmers markets give my family about 85% of our food. Contrary to popular belief, they are probably a bit more expensive than Coles or Woolies. However, the food does last longer, is usually organic, and my money is going straight to a producer, not a giant multinational that treats its suppliers and customers like crap.

grunge_hippy5:21 pm 25 Aug 12

to answer the question in the title….

yes. because its cheaper, they last longer, I dont have time or inclination to go to shops every couple of days to get fresh.

Elizabethany9:18 am 25 Aug 12

Darkfalz said :

I thinking of trying Vegies to your door, has anyone had experience with their boxes in terms of value / freshness?

We did the boxes for a while and found that they were convienient, fresh and value for money. You tended to get smaller produce, so no monsterous apples. There were two reasons we cancelled.

The first was that we couldn’t get through the amount in the box in a week before the next box came, but there wasn’t enough to last us a fortnight. If you are healthier that us that probably wont be an issue. We are now considering getting it again now that our son has started to eat more solids, especially fruit.

The second was they didn’t have mushrooms in the box frequently enough to cope with my mushroom addiction.

Overall, I would still recommend them. It was entertaining to open the box to see what we got each week, with surprises often (such as an artichoke or a pineapple). It helped us get out of a rut with always having the same vegies, and got us to try new ones, such as the artichoke, eggplant and tangelo. It also includes a recipe each week that often uses the more obscure vegies in the box for those of use who don’t know where to start with them.

I thinking of trying Vegies to your door, has anyone had experience with their boxes in terms of value / freshness?

So the advertiser is the local farmer’s markets?

Madam Cholet5:37 pm 24 Aug 12

I’m all for organic where possible to help reduce the use of chemicals on our food and the toll on our land, but you seem to be suggesting that organic veggies are more nutritious and tasty that chemically produced veggies. There is no evidence I’m aware of to support this.

Btw chemicals can also be used in organic farming – obviously those that occur naturally in our environment as opposed to synthetically produced chemicals. Still need to be used in accordance with the label though.

I have a bag of frozen peas and corn in the freezer. I use them occasionally. And I some times have wedges – potato is a vegetable isn’t it?

So those are the green and red things that sully my steak.

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