Are Frozen or Canned Fruits & Vegetables As Nutritious As Fresh Ones?

In the winter months, it's often more difficult to find fresh produce, so people turn to canned or frozen fruits and vegetables. Additionally, people often use these foods over fresh ones out of convenience.

Canned

• According to the website Eating Well, canned vegetables often lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process. However, this isn't true for all vegetables. For example, tomatoes and pumpkins both maintain their nutritional value through the canning process. Canned fruits and vegetables may be higher in sodium that is added during canning, but if you drain and wash them prior to eating them you can reduce the sodium content.

Frozen

• In some cases, frozen fruits and vegetables are healthier than fresh vegetables. This is due to the fact that fruits and vegetables are typically picked for freezing at their peak ripeness, when their nutritional value is the highest. However, the fruits and vegetables can lose some nutritional value when they are blanched in hot water or steam to kill bacteria prior to freezing. This can eliminate some water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C, but flash-freezing locks in most nutrients.

Fresh

• In general, fresh produce, when in season, is the best choice. However, these types of fruits and vegetables may not be completely full of nutrients, either. For example, if the fruits are vegetables are picked before they are fully ripe, they don't have the opportunity to develop a full nutritional profile. Also, in the transition from a farm to your home, fruits and vegetables are exposed to a lot of light, which pulls out some nutrients such as vitamin B. Ultimately though, when in season, opt for fresh produce and eat it within a week of purchasing.