Dear Reader, Nutrition is a broad term, but most vegetables are full of healthy substances that our bodies can benefit from, and are often a low calorie, satisfying part of a balanced diet. None of these nutrients are completely lost from processing. A busy lifestyle and a rigorous semester may not always allow us to have fresh vegetables on hand. But, there are benefits and drawbacks of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables. While most people feel that fresh veggies are optimal, they may lose nutrients before they even get into your stomach.
Vegetables lose some vitamins just by sitting around.
It could take up to two weeks from the time they've been picked until they reach your plate. For example, steam or microwave rather than boil. To limit exposure to heat when cooking this way, wait until the water is boiling before adding veggies. Frozen and canned vegetables are often processed shortly after they are picked, so that nutrient losses would not occur during shipping, on the grocer's shelf, or in your home. Frozen vegetables actually retain a high proportion of their original nutrients.