The right answer is it depends. It depends on the type of food, because if they are frozen meats, fruits, vegetables and legumes, they will be good for your health, as well as fresh meats and vegetables.
This is because, in most cases, vegetables and fruits are frozen shortly after being harvested, maintaining their nutrients and health benefits. In fact, some fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, peas or beans, lose vitamin C much more quickly when they are fresh than frozen.
However, if frozen food consists of ready-made meals, such as lasagna, pizza and pasta, they will be bad for your health, but usually, these are dishes full of fat and salt that, even when prepared fresh, are not the best food option.
How to choose frozen food
The best tip when choosing a frozen food is to observe the label, because if it has high amounts of fat or sodium, it is a type of food that should be avoided. In addition, other tips include:
- Avoid frozen foods with sauces or gravies; Do not defrost the complete box, removing only the necessary portion; Avoid buying frozen meals that, even when prepared fresh, are not healthy.
Even in the case of vegetables and fruits it is important to check the ingredients, as only the fruits and vegetables themselves must be mentioned, any other ingredients may indicate that they have preservatives that can be harmful to health.
Benefits of frozen vegetables
In general, fruits and vegetables are picked ripe and frozen immediately afterwards, first passing through a bleaching process, which is immersion in boiling water for a few seconds or minutes before being frozen.
This process helps to maintain the color, flavor, texture and nutrients of foods, which end up losing only a few nutrients when compared to fresh vegetables. In addition, freezing causes vegetables to have a much longer shelf life than normal at home.
Risks of frozen ready meals
Most frozen ready meals are harmful to health, as the industry normally uses low-quality meats and ingredients rich in fat and salt to improve the taste of frozen food and reduce production costs.
Thus, it is important to look for healthy frozen or chilled meals, giving preference to simpler dishes such as rice, beans, chicken, fish and salads, avoiding preparations that require sauces, cheeses and sour cream, which increase the amount of fat in the food.
In addition, the best way out is to make meals and freeze in small portions at home, taking them to work or using them whenever necessary. Here's how to freeze vegetables and greens so you don't lose nutrients.
