The supermarket’s frozen aisle has received a bad rap over the years, with shoppers often assuming fresh is best.
However, top diet experts say we’ve got it all wrong—and not enough people are utilizing the frozen foods section.
It isn’t just the fruit and vegetables that are recommended. According to best-selling author and leading nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, even fish and meat may be better for you if they’re frozen.
“Fresh meat loses nutrients over time,” explains Lambert — who runs a private London nutrition clinic. “But freezing or buying frozen meat helps retain both nutrients and flavor.”
Lambert adds selecting chicken or beef from the freezer aisle may help you avoid preservatives and additives some fresh meat contains to keep it edible longer.
Meanwhile, freezing fish can help its heart-healthy fatty acids — including omega-3 — stay active.
“A recent study found that most omega-3 in fish remains nutritionally available even after three months of freezing.”
According to Lambert, additional foods that are super-boosted when frozen include edamame beans, broccoli, and sweet corn.
“Frozen broccoli often holds more riboflavin (vitamin B2) than its fresh counterpart, which is essential for digestive health and brain function. Putting this in the freezer shortly after harvesting helps lock in essential vitamins and antioxidants, preserving them for longer.”
In the meantime, frozen peas have around the same level of crucial nutrients, like vitamin C, as fresh ones, said Lambert. But, if you’re a fan of the East Asian bean edamame, you are better off choosing the frozen kind.
“Edamame has more benefits bought frozen,” says Lambert, adding that you also get the benefit of soy, which some studies have shown could help to reduce menopausal or pre-menopausal symptoms for women.
Not only does fresh spinach go bad rapidly, but it also loses nutrients after just a few days. “Buying it frozen keeps vitamin C and folate intact for longer, preserving its nutritional value for months,” said Lambert.
Lambert says that when sweet corn is frozen, it is at its “peak,” preserving its nutrient levels and natural sweetness.
“Frozen corn contains more vitamin C than fresh corn, with fresh sweet corn also losing up to 50 percent of its sugar content within 12 hours of being picked, making frozen often a much tastier option.”
Lambert’s recommendations come as a new poll of 2,000 Brits found that 84 percent of shoppers assume wrongly that fresh food is healthier than frozen.
According to the survey, three-quarters of adults believe fresh vegetables and fruits are healthier than frozen.
Lambert, speaking of the findings, said: “The research confirms that there is a huge gap between consumer perceptions and the reality of frozen food’s quality. We must keep pushing and committing to raising awareness of these benefits to empower people to make better-informed choices for themselves and their families.”
“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,” said Lambert.
