Is frozen vegetables healthy?

Vegetables are a great source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, but it is just ideal to eat fresh veggies all year round. So hesitating in the freezer aisle, you may wonder if frozen vegetables are healthy.

It is a fair question, especially when you are trying to lose weight by eating more salad. And the good news is: you can buy frozen vegetables without any worry. Frozen fruits and vegetables are usually picked when they are ripe, and then blanched to kill bacteria and end enzyme activity which may spoil food. Scientific research has also proved that frozen vegetables have similar nutrients to fresh ones.

Benefits of frozen vegetables

Actually, frozen vegetables have much more benefits than you think.

Convenience: Frozen vegetables have been already chopped, diced, or shredded, so they’ll save you a lot of prep time.

Longer shelf life: Fresh veggies are easy to get spoiled, but if you stock up on frozen vegetables, you can enjoy it anytime, without worrying about food spoiling or running to the market for fresh every time you need it.

Decreased food waste: There was million tons of food waste every year, among which overbuying fresh produce is one of the culprits. If more people choose frozen vegetables at the beginning of the week, there will be surely less food waste.

Check the ingredient label

Despite the multiple benefits of frozen vegetables, they are not always healthful. Some of them may contain added sugar or salt, and others may be paired with premade sauces or seasoning mixes, and thus have more sodium, fat, or calories. So if you are trying to lose weight or just want to keep a healthy diet, always check the ingredient label carefully before you buy frozen vegetables.

Choose the right cooking method

Remember that boiling will leech the nutrients, especially the water-soluble nutrients like vitamin B and vitamin C — out of your vegetables, no matter it is frozen or fresh. So the better option is steaming, roasting, baking, or sauteing frozen and thawed vegetables with olive oil.

To conclude, frozen vegetables are a great option when you want to reduce prep time and get enough nutrients as well. For some people, raw veggies may be the best, and for others, mixing fresh veggies that go bad quickly with frozen vegetables can also be a balanced approach.