Frozen food has historically gotten a bad rap, ranking as a distant second compared to fresh options.
But UK nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert tells the Daily Mail this week that our frozen prejudice might cost us valuable nutrients: “There is a huge gap between consumer perceptions and the reality of frozen food’s quality.”
“I’ve been advocating for the benefits of frozen food for years, yet I don’t believe the idea that frozen produce can be more nutritious than fresh is mainstream knowledge yet and we need to do more to get this message across,” maintains Lambert, author of “The Science of Nutrition.”
She makes the case for the nutritional quality of frozen meat, fish, broccoli, edamame, spinach and sweetcorn.
Meat
Lambert reports that fresh meat loses nutrients over time and can contain additives and preservatives intended to keep it edible longer.
You can avoid nutrient and flavor loss by choosing beef and chicken from the frozen aisle. “Freezing or buying frozen meat helps retain both nutrients and flavor,” Lambert explained.
Fish
Similarly, freezing fish preserves heart-healthy fatty acids, like omega-3s. Lambert explains, “A recent study found that most omega-3 in fish remains nutritionally available even after three months of freezing.”
Broccoli
Lambert says that nutrient-wise, broccoli gets a super boost from a deep freeze: “Putting this in the freezer shortly after harvesting helps lock in essential vitamins and antioxidants, preserving them for longer.”
Compared to fresh, frozen broccoli often contains more riboflavin (vitamin B2), which is crucial for digestive health and brain function.
Edamame
While frozen peas have the same nutritional value as frozen, edamame is best bought cold.
“Edamame has more benefits bought frozen,” Lambert tells the Daily Mail. She notes that choosing frozen edamame over peas gives consumers the added benefit of soy, which could be a boon to body and mind.
Recent research found that isoflavones in soybeans and soy products can enhance attention and processing speed in school-aged kids.
Spinach
Spinach is a much-praised veggie for good reason. It boasts impressive levels of vitamins K, C, calcium and folate, the latter of which supports cell division and helps prevent birth defects during pregnancy.
However, fresh spinach has a notoriously short shelf life. In addition to wilting, vital nutrients in the green stuff deplete after a few days.
According to Lambert, “Buying it frozen keeps vitamin C and folate intact for longer, preserving its nutritional value for months.”
Sweetcorn
When sweetcorn is frozen, the veggie is at its sweet peak in taste and nutrition.
“Frozen corn contains more vitamin C than fresh corn, with fresh sweetcorn also losing up to 50% of its sugar content within 12 hours of being picked, making frozen a much tastier option,” Lambert explains to the Daily Mail.
She aims to educate the public about the misconception that frozen food is inherently unhealthy.
She maintains, “We need to keep pushing and committing to raising awareness of these benefits to empower people to make better-informed choices for themselves and their families.”
But not everything in the deep freeze is healthier.
Research has linked ultra-processed foods like frozen dinners to a higher risk of premature death, heart disease, colorectal cancer, obesity, depression and other serious conditions.
“When it comes to frozen foods, several nutrients are of major concern for heart health: salt, sugar and unhealthy fats,” registered dietitian Angela L. Lago told Fox News in 2022. “Not only are foods that contain an excess of these nutrients inflammatory, they are also key drivers for obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.”
