How healthy are frozen vegetables?

Frozen vegetables can be a great part of a healthy diet. They give you the same benefits as fresh vegetables, and there are extra advantages.

Frozen vegetables also have a longer shelf life and tend to offer better value for money. Plus, they’re accessible in and out of season.

Below, we’ll dive into the details, explaining how freezing affects nutrients, how healthy frozen veggies really are, and whether you need to check the labels.

Are frozen vegetables healthy?

Fresh or frozen, vegetables are a key part of a healthy diet.

How does freezing work? After they’re harvested at peak ripeness, most vegetables go through a quick process called blanching, involving a brief dip in boiling water.

Partially cooking the veggies in this way helps maintain quality. It stops enzymes in the vegetables from affecting their flavor, texture, and color.

After blanching, manufacturers immediately freeze the vegetables. This locks in the levels of nutrients.

“Fruits and vegetables have the highest nutritional value when they're freshly picked,” explains Aoife Burns, one of ZOE’s nutrition coaches. “But their nutrients slowly decrease as time passes.”

Some people might be put off frozen vegetables because they’re a form of processed food. This may be true, but the processing is typically minimal — and it doesn’t make the veggies less healthy.

Also, frozen vegetables don’t often come with added ingredients. Generally, what you see is what you get. There are some exceptions, and we’ll discuss them later on.

Does freezing vegetables affect their nutrition?

Nutritionally speaking, fresh and frozen veggies are very similar. In fact, studies have found no consistent differences.

Frozen peas, carrots, and spinach had lower levels of beta-carotene, a pigment that the body converts to vitamin A. 

Overall, nutrient levels were similar in fresh and frozen green beans and spinach.

Another study looked at the mineral contents of fresh and frozen veggies, including levels of magnesium, zinc, calcium, and iron. Again, the researchers found few differences between the two groups.

Does thawing or heating affect nutrition?

Thawing frozen veggies doesn’t significantly affect nutrient levels. But it may make your veggies mushy.

There’s little need to thaw — heating them does the job and helps the vegetables keep their shape. 

However, whether your veggies are fresh or frozen, your cooking method can affect their nutritional value.

For example, oven baking and sautéing onions led to the highest levels of flavonols, a type of polyphenol.

With peas, boiling was best at preserving folate levels.

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How do frozen veggies compare with fresh ones?

In general, you can get the same nutritional benefits from frozen and fresh veggies. 

There are times when frozen vegetables may be a better option, like when fresh veggies are out of season.

Given their long shelf life and partially prepped state, frozen veggies are generally a more convenient option.

They tend to soften sooner during cooking, too, which can make them especially useful in soups, stews, and casseroles. Fresh vegetables hold their crunch for longer.

Are frozen vegetables better for the environment?

Carbon footprints vary from veggie to veggie.

For example, one study suggested that frozen peas had the lowest carbon footprint, while cauliflower stalks had the highest.

You might have access to fresh veggies with little or no packaging, while frozen vegetables usually come in plastic bags.

To learn more about how your food choices can affect the planet, check out the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast on the topic.

Additives in frozen veggies to check for

Frozen vegetables sometimes come with added ingredients, such as:

• salt

• sugar

• seasonings

• sauces

• garlic butter

Make sure you check the label before you add to your cart. In general, the fewer the ingredients, the healthier the choice.

Summary

Frozen vegetables have a similar nutrition profile to fresh ones. Due to their lower cost, longer shelf life, and year-round accessibility, frozen vegetables can be a great choice.

If you’re buying frozen veggies, make sure to check the labels for added ingredients. And if you have some fresh vegetables that might go to waste, you can always chop and freeze them for later. 

If you’re interested in improving your gut health, ZOE could help. Our at-home test measures your gut health and how your blood sugar and blood fat levels change in response to different foods.

With this information, our personalized nutrition program can guide you toward the best foods for you and your health goals.

To learn more about how it works, take our quick, free quiz.