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Fresh or frozen, fruits and vegetables are an important part of our overall healthy eating plan. They are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in fat and calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help to control weight and blood pressure.
\nThe American Heart Association recommends consuming 8 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. For an average adult consuming a 2000 calorie diet it can be very difficult to consume the recommended 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables, especially if the fruits and vegetables you enjoy are few and are not in season.<\/p>\n
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Options<\/strong> Is it still healthy?<\/strong> Added salt and sugar<\/strong> <\/p>\n Resources<\/strong>
\nUnderstanding the process of choosing your produce when it\u2019s best, is important. Fruits and vegetables are best when eaten soon after they\u2019ve been picked. \u00a0The second a fruit or vegetable is picked, it begins to lose nutrients. Therefore when purchasing produce that is not in season, you may want to consider purchasing your produce on the freezer isle.<\/p>\n
\nScientists from Leatherhead Food Research and University of Chester, carried out 40 tests to measure nutrient levels in produce that had been sitting in a fridge for three days, compared to frozen produce. They found more beneficial nutrients overall in frozen samples. In two out of three cases, the frozen produce packed higher levels of antioxidants. This conclusion supports research, which found that freezing produce does not destroy it\u2019s nutrients in fact it preserves it.<\/p>\n
\nWhen shopping for frozen fruit, select 100% fruit with no added sugar. \u00a0Check the labels of frozen products with sauces as those can be a source of added salt.<\/p>\n
\nAmerican Heart Association<\/em><\/p>\n