Fresh vs Frozen, market vs refrigerated counter. What to choose for a healthy and balanced diet? Simple, both.
It is impossible for many to have a fresh product always available or, on the contrary, to have time to cook it: this is why frozen products are a valid ally for those who have little time to cook but do not want to give up good and, above all, healthy nutrition. It is often believed, however, that frozen products are not as good as fresh, as tasty as fresh, as healthy as fresh, as good as fresh: nothing could be more wrong.
Here are 5 false beliefs about frozen fruits and vegetables and why they are not true:
1 – Frozen foods last a long time because they contain many preservatives. False.
The main preservative of a frozen product is cold; the industrial freezing process slows down chemical and enzymatic reactions and microbial development. Ulteriori informazioni su questo testo di originePer avere ulteriori informazioni sulla traduzione è necessario il testo di origine In the industrial process of producing frozen products there is a very limited use of the number and quantities of preservative additives, under strict Community regulations.
2 – Frozen foods have a lower nutrient content than fresh products. False.
There are numerous researches on this subject that confirm that the organoleptic and nutritional propertiesof products subjected to industrial freezing processes are comparable to those of fresh products.
3 – The raw material is of poor quality. False.
Fruits and vegetables destined for the freezing process are subjected to a stringent series of checks and analyzes, aimed at guaranteeing their full food safety. Precisely because frozen foods are processed products without the addition of flavorings and flavorings, a high commodity quality equal to fresh is required.
4 – Frozen foods cost more. False.
Thefinal cost of a product is not only the one shown on the receipt but is given by the final sum of cleaning, waste and any leftover product which is then thrown away. This is why, on balance, the frozen product costs less: already clean, ready to use, without processing waste and can be dosed as needed, without waste.
5 – It can also be frozen at home. False.
Sometimes the terms freeze and freeze are confused . It is important to clarify that the fruit and vegetables we decide to keep in our home freezer will never have the same characteristics as the frozen product found in the supermarket. The industrial freezing process instantly brings the product to a temperature of -18 degrees which blocks the cellular structure of the product; on the contrary, home freezing takes much longer and this is why it does not completely block the activity of enzymes and deterioration of quality.