Is it true that frozen fruit is more nutritious than fresh fruit in supermarkets?

Have you ever stood in front of the supermarket fruit rack, looked at the rows of beautiful sparkling fresh apples and oranges, then glanced at the refrigerator filled with frozen fruit, asking yourself, “Which is actually healthier for the body?”

Not a few of us think that fresh fruit is always better and more nutritious than frozen fruit.

We imagine that fresh fruit has just been harvested and has gone through a strict sorting process, while frozen fruit is considered a waste product that must be immediately refrigerated so as not to lose its nutrients.

In fact, that assumption is incorrect. Research published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (2017) found that in some cases, frozen fruit and vegetables are more nutritious than fresh fruit that is stored for a long time.

How did it happen? Let’s discuss it thoroughly!

Reasons Frozen Fruit Can Be More Nutritious

The secret is in harvest time. Fruit to be frozen is generally picked at peak ripeness when its nutritional content is at the phase with the most optimal nutrients.

Immediately after being picked, these fruits immediately go through a flash-frozen process.

This process is like pressing the pause button on the fruit’s biological clock. The nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants in it will be locked, thereby preventing degradation that usually occurs at room temperature.

In contrast, the fresh fruit you find in supermarkets often travels a long way before reaching consumers.

Fresh fruit is usually picked before it is ripe, so that during the journey to the store shelves it does not rot and the fruit can ripen properly.

When fruit is picked prematurely, they don’t have time to develop their full nutritional and antioxidant profile. The vitamin C and B complex content can slowly decrease due to exposure to heat and sunlight.

Comparison of Fresh Fruit vs Frozen Fruit

Tips for Selecting and Consuming Frozen Fruit

Choose one without added sugar & preservatives
Try to choose frozen fruit with labels, such as unsweetened, no added sugar, or no added syrup. The simpler the composition, the better the nutritional quality of the fruit.

Pay attention to the position of the product in the freezer
Choose frozen fruit in the back of the freezer. Products in this position are usually exposed to less room temperature air which can affect their quality.

Check Packaging Condition
Make sure the frozen fruit packaging is well sealed. Avoid packaging that is lumpy or full of excessive ice crystals because this could be a sign that the fruit has been thawed and refrozen several times.

Save Properly
After opening, store it back in the freezer in a tightly closed container so that the quality of the taste and texture is maintained.

Don’t thaw it before consuming it
For best results, cook or consume frozen fruit directly while it is frozen, such as blending it directly into a smoothie.

Don’t thaw it first because it will make the texture mushy and some of the nutrients will be wasted along with the liquid that comes out.

Make it a complement, not a substitute for the main thing
Ripe fruit that has just been picked straight from the garden and eaten immediately without long storage is still the best.

You can choose fresh fruit that has just been harvested to consume every day and use frozen fruit as a mixed product in your diet, not as a main dish.

So, both have their own advantages because the most important thing is that you continue to consume fruit every day, whatever form it is.

Frozen fruit can be a smart choice that is affordable, practical, and nutritious, especially when your favorite fresh fruit is out of season or hard to find. Always remember, your body needs natural nutrition every day, not just occasionally!

Sources:

• https://www.cnnindonesia.com/gaya-hidup/20170329092043-262-203308/buah-beku-ternyata-lebih-bernutrisi-dari-buah-segar
• https://hellosehat.com/nutrisi/fakta-gizi/sayur-buah-segar-atau-beku-yang-sehat/ 
• https://www.health.com/frozen-fruit-vs-fresh-fruit-8749485
• https://www.alodokter.com/mengulik-kandungan-nutrisi-buah-dan-sayur-beku
• https://www.goodrx.com/well-being/diet-nutrition/frozen-vs-fresh-veggies